Cry Not Seifer, You'll Have Your Retribution
by The Code Cruncher
Summary: This story takes place after the events of Final Fantasy VIII. Seifer has been kicked out of Balamb Garden, and he is living the boring life of a fisherman with his two friends Raijin and Fujin. What happens when he gets a second chance?
1. Leonheart

Cry Not Seifer, You'll Have Your Retribution

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII, not the rights to it anyway, heh. By the by: Seifer kicks Squall's ass a thousand ways from Sunday!

Chapter I: Leonheart

Seifer Almasy sat up from his small home in Balamb, his friends Raijin and Fujin had just left to Timber to meet a friend of Raijin's. Raijin thought his friend would be compatible with Fujin, so he immediately forced her to go. Of course he could not do it alone, and needed Seifer's help to get the gray haired woman to go.

Seifer really did not miss his friends; he always thought he stuck around with them too much, and that they needed a breather as well as he did. He looked out the window, and saw that it was still early, very early. Nine in the morning, which was early for the new Seifer.

Seifer got up and put on his trench coat, the only garment he took off before he went to sleep. The trench coat was in tatters at the hem, due to the multiple encounters he had with Squall and his band. If only Squall had fought him alone in the final battle, Seifer would have won no doubt; at least he thought so.

Seifer ate a breakfast of two eggs and the end part of a T-Rexuar's tail. He then entered the local forest, and looked around for the monster that ran off last he was there. The T-Rexuar he ate that morning he had only cut off the behemoth's tail, and the beast ran away. The local monsters knew to avoid the man in the white trench coat, he was more fierce a fighter than the T-Rexuar and five times as powerful.

Seifer found the one that got away, and climbed a tree above where it was dining on a Grat. He leapt on the back of the monster, and stabbed it in the back of the neck with his Hyperion gunblade. The T-Rexuar tried to run, but did not get far and fell; Seifer would eat well that month.

It had been a month, and the T-Rexuar was finally digested. Seifer began to worry about his posse, and decided to go to Timber where they were heading. He walked to the train station, and received the same reception he received every day.

' Go to hell Almasy!' A fisherman says.

' Get away from our children!' A mother yells.

Seifer was used to their squawking, and just ignored them, sometimes giving them a cocky grin just to let them know he did not care what they called him. He heard it all: Sorceresses' lap dog, torturer, the "it" deserving a blast into space from Eden. Seifer sometimes would ask some of them if they were being original, or if that was the most creative they could get.

He approached the man selling the tickets for the train.

' Hey I want a ticket to Timber.' Seifer told the man.

' You better not come back Almasy!' He replied.

' I gotta come back, this is the only place I'm allowed to live, remember?'

' Yeah it's a pity, I just hope the people of Timber run you off a cliff. It'll be three thousand gill for the ticket.'

' It's one thousand for one person, the price is cumulative after that numbskull.'

' Three thousand or you ain't getting on that train Almasy!'

' There are three ways to get on a train, one: pay money, two: kill everyone and hijack the train, and three: tell the stupid bastard selling the tickets to sell him one ticket _normal_ price, or he'll torture his family and sell them off to slavery in the Trabia mines. What one do you think I'm leaning towards?' Seifer leered.

' Just get on the damn train Almasy, you're good for it…' The man said, knowing that Seifer never did act thinking of the consequences.

' That's better!' Seifer put his leer away and put on his trademark cocky grin.

Seifer boarded the train, and relaxed in his chair. The transcontinental trains were fast, but it still took several hours to get from point A to point B. He ignored the angry faces, and tried to enjoy the train ride.

Seifer listened to the music Raijin made on his computer; it was what he thought Seifer's theme song would be if he had one. Raijin made one for Fujin and himself, but his was the one Seifer listened to most, obviously. He reveled at how accurate these music tracks were, it captured the very essence of the personality of the subject, in music.

He arrived at Timber and was immediately recognized, he heard boo's coming from everywhere.

' I was expecting this one tenth of a second ago!' Seifer told them, making them to stop and think about what he just said.

Seifer went to where Raijin said he and Fujin were staying; he just entered the place not bothering to knock. Inside he saw that the place was empty, he did not hear sounds of life, nor any evidence that three people had been living together for a month.

' More like three days…' Seifer said to himself.

Seifer looked around, and saw that a wastebasket had been turned over; in the trash he noticed there was a piece of paper, the only of its kind among the food and such. Seifer could tell Raijin's handwriting, it was the most disturbing scribbles one could see: Hey Trajin, Fujin and I had a talk while you were at work. We want to go back to Garden ya know. Sorry man, but Fujin really didn't like ya, I guess I was wrong. Oh well, there are other fish in the sea. Ya know. We're going to try and contact Seifer, and tell him we're heading back to Garden. If we can't get to him, will you drop him a message. Thanks man.

' What? Go back to Garden? What Garden, Balamb? Galbadia? Trabia? Why the hell would they do this without telling me?' Seifer questioned himself, ' Oh well, they always were in love with the Garden, who could blame their going back.' He calmed down a little.

Seifer exited the building, he thought that Trajin must have really liked Fujin, and hearing she really did not care for him would have made him angry enough to destroy the whole place.

Some townspeople had organized themselves, and were bearing weapons such as pikes and some small guns.

' Let's chase this bastard out of Timber!' The one who appeared to be the leader yelled.

Seifer noticed that the leader was Trajin, Seifer had seen a picture of him before and could recognize him at a glance thanks to SeeD training. Trajin looked a lot like Raijin, however was not as large and wore an all black version of Raijin's outfit. Seifer then remembered that Timber was an independent town, and they were their own masters making chasing out people they do not want in town very legal.

Seifer realized he should not kill any of them, and just ran for the exit. Normally he would never run from such a minute threat, but he had gotten wiser and knew that he did not want to make people hate him even more than they already did.

' Ahh, what the hell, I'll get a little revenge for him not telling me about Raijin and Fujin, would have saved me a trip.' Seifer said to himself, and cast fire on Trajin before turning and fleeing.

It was not long before Seifer exited the town of Timber, hearing various screams and taunts from the crowd. Seifer ran straight for Dollet, so he could get a boat back to Balamb, he figured that Raijin and Fujin would have gone to their old Garden.

Seifer expected boos, but instead heard only silence from the people of Dollet. Seifer found the silence more disturbing than the taunts, but decided to forget about it, and head for the harbor. He managed to get seat in a transport heading for Balamb, just as long as he did not mind doing a little work.

He did mostly lifting, Seifer silently thanking the powers that be that he did not have to do anything that could possibly harsh his ego. It was not long before he heard a scream.

' It's a monster! A monster's got my baby!' He heard a woman.

' Damn, that sure is bad…' Seifer said to himself, continuing with his duties.

After hearing several grunts from would-be-heroes, Seifer saw the person the let him on board run up.

' Hey Almasy, I know there's a misunderstanding between us and you, but we need your help!'

' And what's in it for me?' Seifer replied.

' We'll acknowledge you as a human being, might even forgive ya! Besides, that's the mayor's kid, if you do the rescue it'll look very good for you in Dollet!'

' Fine…' Seifer agreed slowly, ' I'll see what I can do…'

On the deck, Seifer saw the huge winged monster with the girl in its claws. Bodyguards were knocked down, and unable to help, the mayor was also on the ground. Seifer gathered that just about everyone around the scene tried to help, but they just were not able to do anything.

The monster screeched in victory, and landed on the deck to eat the young girl. No more than fourteen to Seifer's guess.

' An Elvoret. I saw Squall, chicken wuss, and little messenger girl fight one of these things before…' Seifer recalled, and ran to the monster with his Hyperion drawn.

Seifer first cut off the Elvoret's two arms, and used a fire spell to push the monster away from the girl. The Elvoret screeched in terror, and confusion as it flew away. It was not used to being pushed around by a creature smaller than it was. Seifer saw the fleeing Elvoret, and decided that it should not get away that easy.

' No, that will not be happening… No Mercy!' Seifer yelled, and cast fire on the monster, stunning it. He then twirled the Hyperion at his side, and charged up a ball of chi focused in the blade part of the gunblade. Seifer let loose the sphere of pure energy, and it connected the Elvoret.

The ball of chi ripped through the monster, and it fell to the ocean. The mother ran up to her daughter who was kneeling on the ground.

' Great Hyne, are you okay Schiria?'

' Yes mom.' Schiria told her mother, ' Thank you mister, I owe you my life.' Schiria looked up at the man who saved her.

Seifer said nothing at all, and left to the cargo hold where he was working. The mayor got up from the floor, and put his hand on Seifer's shoulder.

' Almasy, this is a great service you have done. I will see to it that the people of the world will hear of this. You might be forgiven by the entire world populous.'

' I sure as hell hope so, I paid for the sorceress' knight thing one hundred times already.' Seifer replied.

' Yes… I personally owe you a favor, so just don't forget me.' The mayor said, offering Seifer his hand.

Seifer looked at the mayor's hand, ' What the hell is this? I don't shake hands… But then again, I don't want to lose this ally… I guess I'll just shake his hand then…' Seifer thought, invisibly hesitant in shaking the mayor's hand.

' So people _can _forgive you, I told you so Seifer.' Said a serene feminine voice in his head.

' Like I care Fairir. But what will happen if I am forgiven?' Seifer said in his mind, which was sufficient to speak with his Guardian Force.

' Believe it or not Seifer, but life does get better.' Fairir replied.

' Yeah, well we'll see. I'm still banned from Garden, and even if I wasn't, I'm still too old to join SeeD.'

' Raijin and Fujin? They are not that much younger than you, and they joined. What does that say?'

' Still banned.'

' Go to Balamb Garden, you'll see.'

' In case you haven't heard in all of my rambling, Squall is the "Commander" of all Gardens…'

' Cid controls Garden, not Squall, and Cid always admired you. Just try.'

' Geez, okay. I'll see what I can do, but I'm blaming this on you.'

' Yes master.'

The transport arrived at Balamb, the mayor had to meet a figurehead in the harbor town, thus explaining his presence on the ship. That did not concern Seifer, so the ex-sorceress' knight just headed straight for Balamb. For two things: one to meet up with Raijin and Fujin, and two to see headmaster Cid about a job. He walked along the roadway that leads to Balamb Garden; the Garden was secured back in its former location. This was necessary, because having a mobile Garden meant that students had a more "mobile" frame of mind. A stationary school made cadets more "moldable".

Fate dons on Seifer, as he meets with his rival, and most hated person on his way to Balamb Garden. Squall was on his way to the train station, to go to Galbadia on a mission.

' Ah shit, its Squall!' Seifer cursed his luck; he did not want to see Squall until after his meeting with Headmaster Cid.

Squall immediately recognized Seifer.

' Almasy! What the hell are you doing? Have you forgotten that you are banned from Garden?' Squall stared at Seifer.

' Hey Leonheart, ever stop to think that I may be on my way to the other end of the island for training?' Seifer replied, also angered by the presence of his long time enemy.

' What's the difference between the monsters on both sides?'

' The monsters over there give more experience!' Seifer taunted Squall.

' Yeah, right Almasy. Just go back to Balamb, its better over there for _you_.'

Seifer did not like the tone Squall had when he said "you".

' How's about this? If I can break past you over this line.' Seifer drew a line on the ground with is foot, ' You'll let my go to that end of the island, and you can continue to your end.'

' I don't have time for your games Almasy.'

' Don't be a coward Leonheart!'

' A coward! Seifer, if you can unarm me you may pass.'

Squall drew his Lionheart gunblade model, the eldest and most powerful of them all. Seifer drew his Hyperion, a gunblade made for his erratic fighting style. Squall presumed Seifer did not have the finesse to unarm him, as Seifer presumed Squall had gotten lazy and not too much more powerful than when they last met. However both men had presumed wrong.

Seifer's fighting style was as erratic as before, yet he parried blows, and struck at every weak spot he could find. Squall had actually pushed his training to a new level, and frequented the island closest to Hell alone every time he had time away from his friends at Garden.

This duel was merely to disarm the opponent, and both Seifer and Squall only attacked at each other's gunblade. Even though it had been one year from the time Squall and Seifer had their first duel near the Fire Cavern before the SeeD field exam, both rivals were almost reliving the feeling.

Seifer struck with more speed and fury than he had ever shown, and Squall seemed much more powerful than Seifer remembered. Seifer evaded a pass from Squall, and spun the Hyperion around to meet a backhand blow from his rival.

' So predictable.' Seifer thought to himself, and flipped over Squall.

' That's new!' Squall muttered to himself, and raised his Lionheart to strike the incoming blow.

Seifer ducked a high swing form Squall, while his rival leapt into the air. Squall did a flip in midair, and on his way down slashed at Seifer's Hyperion. Seifer, instead of parrying the blow, sidestepped and the Lionheart harmlessly hit the ground. Squall backed away from Seifer, and cast Stop on him.

' I'd stay and play Seifer, but I still have a mission to carry out, and I'll be late if I stay here with you.' Squall said, and hurried off to Balamb.

' Damn you Leonheart! Come back here and fight like a man!' Seifer yelled.

Squall did not reply. It was the average two minutes for the spells effect to wear off, and Seifer continued to Balamb Garden.

' That was very cheap…' Fairir told Seifer.

' Tell me about it!' Seifer replied angrily.

' Don't worry, you'll beat him one day.'

' I already beat him; he just won't admit it. I beat him before any of this ever happened.'

' But… He did beat you every time after that.'

' With help! Squall never could beat me alone.'

' There was that time in Deling…'

' Shut up Fairir.'

' Alright…'


	2. Zarack

Chapter II: Zarack

Seifer was at Balamb Garden; it had not changed since he attended there. Seifer recalled on the days when he, Raijin, and Fujin would call themselves the disciplinary committee, and whenever someone broke Garden code they would make their life miserable. He really did not miss those days, but without the military standard, and mercenary life; what was Seifer Almasy? A fisherman in Balamb? Not a life Seifer cared to have. Indeed Seifer missed the Garden, even if he did not show it.

As Balamb Garden became visible in the distance, Seifer stopped. The Garden looked peaceful yet queerly threatening to him. As Seifer debated on whether or not to approach the large building, a gray vine crept up to his leg. The vine was the appendage of the rarely seen, and most powerful creature on the island. The Swellsdagger was a plant like monster much like the Grats; it was a tangled mess of what appeared to be vines. The vines of this monster could break every bone in a T-Rexuar's body, and lift the Galbadian's Iron Clad MRV off the ground and throw it fifty meters. And it was hungry.

Seifer was swept off of his feet, and was pulled toward the Swellsdagger. Seifer quickly cast a fire spell on the ground to propel him in the air, and he drew the Hyperion. With his gunblade, Seifer cut off the vine like arm, and landed evenly on the ground. The Swellsdagger crawled toward Seifer at speeds that put a sports car to shame. Seifer cast Fire and quickly leapt into the air. The Swellsdagger saw Seifer do this, and launched a tentacle at the sound of speed at him.

Seifer began to name his most powerful Fire Cross technique, when the tentacle caught him and pulled him into the tangled creature. Seifer's left hand was near his belt, which held a five-inch blade. He quickly drew his knife, and cut at the vine bondage, the Swellsdagger frighteningly silent withdrew its appendage, and Seifer landed with his knife and gunblade drawn. He put away his knife, and decided to use another, faster, Fire Cross technique.

' Demon Slice!' Seifer cast Fire on the Swellsdagger and ran toward it. Seifer spun quickly, while slashing at the powerful monster; vine appendages flew everywhere, as Seifer lifted the monster into the air.

After the Fire Cross attack, the Swellsdagger was a bear head. What was left of the great vine monster disintegrated into light mist. Seifer stood proud over his defeated foe.

' Heh, no grubby monster can beat me!' Seifer then cringed, ' Ah, what the hell! I don't feel…' Seifer the dropped limb on the ground.

Seifer saw nothing but black, in the distance of the darkness he saw Galbadia Garden, and Balamb Garden. Both were highlighted in the black, and he saw some Galbadian paratroopers land in Balamb Garden. In a flash Seifer was inside Balamb Garden, he saw the Galbadian soldiers relentlessly attacking SeeD members and cadets alike. He entered the classroom, and saw lower classmen with fear in their eyes as a fully armed and highly skilled Galbadian soldier approached them. He then saw Squall jump out of nowhere to slash the soldier to the ground.

Then all went black again.

' Damn, this again?' Seifer questioned himself, ' Squall, I wonder how he looked to those lower classmen during that battle? The "great hero" saving them from the evil Seifer Almasy, traitor and sorceress' lapdog. That's all I was, all I'll ever be, no one could look at me and say "He saved my life".'

' You're wrong Seifer.' Said a serene voice.

Seifer then saw nothing except the form of Fairir sitting on a rock. Fairir was a Guardian Force that appeared human, like Shiva and Siren. Fairir wore her brown robe, her hood covering her crimson hair.

' There are beings who look at you in that light. Let's start off with me, hm?' Fairir brought Seifer to the shores of Balamb, where Seifer decided to fish off the shore.

He saw himself with his fishing rod, and approached the beach. As the beach came into view, he saw a woman in a robe being attacked by a T-Rexuar looking for a meal. Seifer saw himself throw down the fishing rod, and draw the Hyperion. He charged the large monster, and slashed at its legs. The T-Rexuar cried out, and started to run away, recognizing the fiercest creature of the island. He managed to cut off the end part of the T-Rexuar's tail, and he turned to the woman.

The image blackened, ' That's when I got my breakfast a while ago.' Seifer remembered.

' That is also when you saved me, I maybe a Guardian Force, but I am not a powerful one. All I am able to do is let you junction magic, but none the less I wanted to be your Guardian Force, I wanted to help _my hero_.' Fairir told Seifer.

' So? I did that for a meal!' Seifer retorted.

' Did you? Or did you see a person in trouble, and instinctively helped? What about that Elvoret today?'

' Favors.'

' Are you really that egotistical Seifer? Sure it started out like you say, but when you saw the Elvoret and that child, you attacked the Elvoret without thinking. You acted every move to ensure to girl's safety. Tell me, is that how a trained mercenary thinking only of himself would act?'

Seifer then woke up, not able to give Fairir an answer for the moment. He saw lights around him, and a familiar ceiling. Balamb Garden infirmary!

' What am I doing here?' Seifer thought, forgetting how to speak for the moment.

Seifer saw Dr. Kadowaki enter the room he was in, ' Hello Seifer, its been awhile hasn't it? Last time I saw you here was when you tried to fight a T-Rexuar in the Training Center alone at age fifteen.' Dr. Kadowaki informed him, ' Well, this time your in for parasitical monster spores. Instructor Trepe told me that she saw you fight the rare Swellsdagger, nasty monster indeed. She saw you fall down after the fight, and brought you here.'

' Instructor Trepe?' Seifer thought.

' It seems the Swellsdagger implanted parasite spores into your body to ensure its survival. Don't worry, I removed them, the surgery took several hours, but I got 'em all. You should take it easy, don't move for the rest of the day you should be fine.'

' Have you ever known _me_ to follow orders doctor?' Seifer told the doctor, and arose from his bed, apparently felling fine.

' Heh, yeah you never did. You're too strong and brave to be bed ridden, or stupid, whichever way you look at it.'

' I prefer strong and brave.' Seifer looked around, ' Where is instructor Trepe anyway?'

' Teaching a class. You might want to stop off at her room later to thank her.'

Seifer remembered that he wanted to talk with Cid, and it would look quite good if he had an instructor and SeeD member introduce him.

' Sure.'

' Great!' Dr. Kadowkai then stopped to think for a minute, ' Wait a minute, Seifer I never knew you to thank anyone!'

' I have another reason for wanting to stop off at instructor Trepe's dorm.'

' Don't tell me you want to thank Quistis in an alternate way!'

' Nothing of the sort, doctor!' Seifer grinned, ' You know me better than to hit on old friends I haven't seen in a while. I hit on 'em after I see them for a day at the least!' Seifer joked; the last thing on his mind was sleeping with Quistis Trepe.

Dr. Kadowaki shook her head, not knowing whether or not to laugh. She could not tell if he was joking or not, he is always serious and that could sometimes make you wonder. Seifer left the infirmary, and headed for the dorm area, he knew which room was Quistis' on memory, he had been there many times; not always with her knowledge. Seifer recalled that Quistis' class would adjourn at thirteen hundred hours he glanced at his watch.

' Yep, Quistis should be coming around soon…'

As predicted, Quistis Trepe had arrived at her dorm and received a surprise.

' Well, Seifer Almasy! What are you still doing here? I thought you would have left after Dr. Kadowaki was done with you.' Quistis greeted Seifer.

' Well hello instructor, I came to see just you!'

' See me? Whatever for?' Quistis sounded untrusting.

' May I talk to you in a more inconspicuous place?'

' Seifer, you know no one here likes you, let alone trust you.' Quistis said sternly.

' Very well then…' Seifer said tauntingly, ' I guess you'll never know why I came here…' Seifer knew how Quistis needed to know something when it is right in front of her.

' Okay… Step into my office then Seifer…' Quistis said.

' Thank you instructor.' Seifer gave her his trademark grin.

Quistis' room was completely organized nothing was out of place.

' So instructor, still have a crush on Leonheart?' Seifer asked.

' That is none of your business Seifer.'

' Just making conversation instructor.' Seifer looked away from a murderous stare from his childhood friend, ' Okay, so I came here to have a talk with Headmaster Cid, I want to see if there is anything I can do here.' Seifer started.

Quistis started to laugh uncontrollably.

' What makes you think Cid would let you back in Garden Almasy!' She asked, catching on to his train of thought.

' Promise you won't laugh?'

' Laugh at what?'

' My GF told me to.'

' Your GF? Come on Seifer, use some other excuse; you know Garden left you without a GF.'

' I got a new one, that's beyond the case. My GF told me to go see Cid, so to get it off my back I'm here.'

' Right, GF's don't talk to people Seifer.'

' Will you at least bring me to see Cid?'

' No, you don't have a case, it'll only crush my image as an instructor and SeeD if I tried.'

' Don't tell me old friends die off Quistis.'

' Friend? Were you being a friend when you turned your back on us? Almasy, just get out of here, okay?'

' Now is that what you were thinking when you carried me here?'

' Shut up Seifer!'

' C'mon Trepe, admit it, you like me!'

' No! Just get out, okay Seifer?' Quistis hid a blush with her hand.

Seifer headed for the doorway, obviously knowing the limit to which he could anger Quistis and not get seriously hurt.

' Great, I don't have that SeeD escort…' Seifer thought as he headed for the elevator.

To avoid being seen by too many people, Seifer cast Haste on himself so his running speed would be fast enough to evade the eyes of students. He entered the elevator, and pressed for the third floor.

' Okay, I'm going to see Cid now, happy?' Seifer said in his mind.

' Yes, now see how he reacts.' Fairir told him.

' He'd probably toss me out the damn window if he were strong enough.'

' You'll see.'

' Why are you so sure Fairir?'

' I am a Guardian Force, I know everything.'

' And you say _I'm _egotistical!'

Fairir remained silent, and Seifer appeared calm despite the anxiety he felt. The elevator arrived at its destination, and Seifer stepped out of the elevator to see the door to Cid's office. Seifer knew that he had to act somewhat presentable, and decided to knock on the door. He approached the door, and heard a conversation. It sounded like Edea and her husband.

' Edea, I really don't think letting Seifer back in Garden is a good idea…' Cid said.

' I know where you're going Cid, but I can't help but feel sorry for him. If it wasn't my weakness that let Ultimecia take over my mind, he might have become a great SeeD by now.' Edea pleads with Cid.

' Don't worry Edea; I don't really think Seifer would have passed in time anyway. He only had one year left to graduate before Garden rules would have him kicked out.'

' We changed that to twenty years Cid.' Edea sounded nice, even when arguing.

' Yes, he would only be nineteen now… He'd be twenty in a few weeks if I remember correctly.'

' So he can still join.'

' Yes, true Edea, but I still don't know. I always did think Seifer would be a great SeeD… But Edea, he's never past a SeeD field exam.'

' How about this, if Seifer can pass a written test of everything a SeeD should know, and ace the SeeD field exam, he will be inaugurated as a SeeD?'

' Hm, I agree, but we will not tell Seifer that he is being tested to this degree. So we will get a proper assessment of who Seifer Almasy is.'

' Thank you Cid.'

' No need to thank me… I kind of hope he can do it, I always thought Seifer had great potential, was a shame when he failed his last field exam. I just can't understand why Seifer can't follow orders, of course I don't want the "yes sir" type of SeeDs, but I really don't want someone who'll leave the designated strike zone…' Cid started to ramble.

' Yes, that is a problem, but I do believe that people can change. Maybe Seifer became wiser.'

' Perhaps you're right Edea. I'll have to go see Seifer, and give him this chance in a few days. It'll take some time to get everyone to accept Seifer's return. Nobody does like the man, because of that incident with Ultimecia. Especially Squall, Zell, and Selphie, they hate Seifer more than anyone in the Garden.'

Seifer could not believe his luck; he was just given the opportunity of a lifetime. He decided to hurry back to his small house in Balamb to await Cid's call.

' See Seifer?' Fairir told her master.

' Yeah, yeah, I see. Well, we'll see if you're right...' Seifer told his Guardian Force, obviously in a good mood.

A young SeeD cadet, at age seventeen was fighting Grats in the Training Center. He used two short swords he called Masamune and Murasame after the great swordsmiths of old. The cadet had short black hair, and a short scar under his right eye, leading straight down level to his nose. He got the scar after attempting to fight a T-Rexuar, he saw Squall conquer one and he thought that if someone like Squall could defeat a T-Rexuar he could too. He wore a black colour version of the SeeD cadet uniform, and had a single diamond amulet as small as his pinky fingertip on a chain around his neck.

His name was Zarack, he was always known as a bad seed in the Garden. He followed Garden codes and rules, but would never follow orders, worse than even Seifer Almasy. Zarack loved the feel of combat, and it disturbed most of his instructors. To reform him was truly a task too great for any instructor, or SeeD member to undertake.

Cid knew this, and thought of Seifer every time Zarack was mentioned. If anybody in all of the world was tough enough to beat sense into the cadet, it was Seifer Almasy. Only if he truly did reform as Edea hoped, Seifer was the one to do it.

Cid approached the young SeeD cadet, and told him to discontinue his training for a bit.

' Zarack, you have been searching for a instructor who would have the, "balls" as you so eloquently put it, to spar with you. Well, I have a tutor that will undoubtedly have your complete attention.' Cid started.

' Someone actually took up the challenge?' Zarack said pleased with this.

' Yes. You will meet the tutor here on Monday at fourteen hundred hours. It will replace all of your classes for the rest of that day, and every other day until you pass the SeeD field exam in two weeks.'

' Who is it? Trepe? Leonheart? Dincht?' Zarack asked, naming the most powerful SeeDs he could remember.

' No. You will find out when you meet on Monday. Now you may carry on Zarack.' Cid left the Training Center, and returned to his desk.

' Hm, I wonder who's got the balls to take me on?' Zarack pictured every SeeD he knew, trying to figure out who it would be.

Seifer sat in his home in Balamb. He heard from Raijin, and was actually quite happy to hear from his old friends, he did not tell them about his chance in joining SeeD. He wanted to keep that secret, for his own sake seeing that it might be bad if Cid somehow found out that he heard his conversation with his wife. Also, Seifer wanted to keep it a surprise for his two friends. He found out that Raijin and Fujin went back to Balamb Garden, but then was transferred to Galbadia Garden. Good for Seifer, so they would not see him in the hallways of Garden, that would ruin the surprise.

Seifer practiced looking surprised, and acting like he normally would if this happened and he not knew about it. Seifer felt confident about his acting abilities, and decided to remember the questions SeeD written tests ask. Seifer never failed a single written test, he knew all about combat basics, and elements, and statuses. He was confident that he would pass and become a SeeD, something he could torture Squall with for as long as he lived. Nothing could go wrong.

It was Monday, the beginning of the workweek. He did not know why, but Seifer knew Cid would come by today. It was nine AM, Seifer made sure he was up at seven to make sure he would be ready. There was a knock at the door; Seifer took one minute to make perfectly sure he looked presentable, and not excited at all. He opened the door, and began his acting.

' Headmaster Cid! Why are you here?' Seifer asked, trying to be himself, it was harder than he thought.

' Well, this is going to be a strange visit to say the least…' Cid began, ' May I come in and sit down?'

' Uh, sure Cid. What are you doing here? Last I heard no one liked me.'

' Yes, true indeed. Seifer, I know you must deserve some sort of second chance, you were being used by Ultmecia and it clouded your vision…' Cid began again.

' I make no alibis about my actions Cid.'

' Good to see you aren't as egotistical as you once were. Now, as I was saying: Seifer I believe you do deserve a second chance, and so do some others, not naming names.'

' Not naming names 'cause he's got no names…' Seifer thought.

' So I'm willing to let you back in Garden, and let you try one last time to make it to SeeD. You will have a written test today, and if you pass, you will take part in the SeeD field exam in a couple weeks. Do you accept?'

' A second chance to make SeeD?' Seifer turned his back on Cid for a moment, ' Well, all I can do here is fish, and hunt to make my living. Like anyone here will give me a job, let alone sell me anything for normal price. Life here if trite and dull as hell, I'll take you up on your offer.' Seifer turned to face Cid.

' Good Seifer, come with me to Garden for your SeeD written test. Quistis Trepe has agreed to be the instructor in charge, and will call time.' Seifer followed Cid to the Garden.

Seifer avoided glares from the passing students and some SeeDs, they were given strict orders to not confront Seifer, but that did not stop them from their own ways of getting at Seifer Almasy. Sad for them, as Seifer was by now completely immune to glares yet tried his hardest not to give them the cocky grin he gives everyone that tried. Cid led Seifer to Quistis' classroom; it was empty, as classes had been cancelled for this test. Quistis put the test in front of Seifer, who had his feet on the desk.

' Seifer, put your feet down.' Quistis told him, Seifer was not in the quarreling mood, so put his feet down, ' This SeeD written test has every subject matter a SeeD rank ten should know. As like every SeeD written test, you must get one hundred percent correct to pass.'

' I know instructor, let's just get on with the test, eh?' Seifer asked her.

' Fine. You have ten minutes, fifty questions. Time starts the second I sit down, needless to say by then you should already have five questions done.' Quistis told him, and went to take her seat.

Seifer had completed the entire test in two minutes; he already knew everything about battle, and Guardian Forces, and everything else a SeeD should know off by heart. He got up to give Quistis the test.

' Done Trepe.' He said, grinning.

' Seifer, have you ever heard of the advice: use all of the time to write a test?' Quistis asked him.

' No, now grade this thing so I can go to the monster's lair.'

' A little anxious there Almasy?' Quistis graded the test while Seifer waited, she could hardly believe her eyes, Seifer had passed the SeeD written test in two minutes, something no SeeD has ever done, ' I can't believe I'm saying this Seifer, but you pass.'

' Have you ever known me to fail one of these tests instructor?'

' No…'

' Good, now I want to go to the Training Center for some practice.'

Quistis said nothing, and let Seifer exit the classroom on his way to the Training Center. Cid was waiting just outside the classroom.

' A little early Seifer?' Cid asked.

' Yeah, but I passed, so now I'm goin' to the Training Center.'

' Great, that's right where I want you Seifer.'

' What do you mean?' Seifer was puzzled.

' I have a student that will be there at fourteen hundred hours; he is a bit of a problem student. Much like you were at his age.' Seifer narrowed his eyes, ' His name is Zarack, and I want you to be his tutor.'

' What!' Seifer almost shouted, he wondered if Cid found out he had been listening in, and this was his punishment.

' Don't worry, you won't be like an instructor to him, you'll be more like his training partner. We need someone to make him realize just what SeeD is.'

' So you want me to beat some sense into this kid, eh?'

' More than less, yes… Don't kill him, and please don't hurt him too much, okay Seifer?'

' No promises, I won't kill him, but if he pisses me off…' Seifer trailed off.

' I just don't want Zarack in the infirmary every other day. Don't worry, I know people, once you break their spirit they fall into your hands. It's just human psychology.'

' Right. Well, I can't say this is too bad…'

' Why is that Seifer?'

' Because now I have someone to spar with, sometimes Grats are just too weak.'

Cid had nothing left to say, so he just motioned with his hand to the Training Center, of which they were approaching. Cid told Seifer to wait in the hallway for Zarack, and not to go inside the Training Center until he arrived. Seifer reluctantly waited for the cadet to arrive, he wondered how he should deal with the cadet should he become a problem.

Zarack made it to the Training Center on time, and Seifer got a good look at the cadet he would have to break. Zarack saw Seifer and his eyes widened with surprise, and little fear.

' What the hell! Almasy, why the hell are _you_ my tutor?' Zarack yelled.

Seifer decided to get right to the molding of this cadet, ' Keep your voice down, you know it's against Garden code!' Seifer snapped, ' I am Seifer Almasy, ex-sorceress' knight, ex-traitor to Garden, and one hell of a bad ass! Now you will run fifty laps around the monster's lair, and if any monsters get in your way, you will hit each one once. If you cannot kill a monster in one hit, you will just keep on running, I will be timing you!' Seifer ordered.

Zarack did not do as Seifer told him.

' Yeah, like I'll follow _your_ orders!' Zarack shouted at him.

' You refuse to follow _my _order!' Seifer told Zarack, ' You don't wanna know what happen to people who refuse orders.'

' What happens?' Zarack said arrogantly.

' No Mercy!' Seifer said, using the Fire Cross technique on the cadet.

Zarack was tossed back five feet after the powerful sphere of energy hit him. He got up slowly, and drew his two blades. Without saying anything he ran at Seifer with all his might. Seifer seeing that his opponent sprinting toward him, sidestepped the running cadet, and hit him in the back of the head with his fist as Zarack flew by.

Zarack turned to Seifer, and struck at him relentlessly. Seifer easily parried the blows from the double sword-wielding cadet, and attacked to get Zarack to go defensive. Zarack hated being defensive, however could not relent or Seifer could easily get in. Zarack was pushed away, and Seifer ran to Zarack and successfully hit him with the Hyperion. Zarack immediately fell to the ground, Seifer was clearly too powerful for him to fight and win.

Zarack tried to get back on his feet, and saw Seifer leering at him.

' Laps?' Seifer asked.

' Damn you Almasy!' Zarack said.

' You'll say "yes sir".'

' Screw you!'

Seifer picked up Zarack by his neck, ' You'll go do fifty laps cadet!'

' Yes…'

' Yes what?'

' Yes sir…'

Seifer grinned, and dropped the cadet. He motioned for Zarack to do his laps, while the cadet was running Seifer sat down and relaxed. He gave credit to the instructors who did this everyday; it was actually fairly difficult, he would remind himself to apologize to Quistis for the year of hell he put her through. It had been thirty minutes for Zarack to finish the laps, and Seifer had him stand at attention.

' Alright Zarack, how many monsters did you kill?'

' Two hundred and fifty.' Zarack said.

' Two hundred and fifty, what?' Seifer snapped.

' Two hundred and fifty Grats.'

Seifer did not think twice about Zarack's inconsistence, and cast Fire on the young cadet.

' What the hell Almasy!' Zarack cursed.

' You will refer to me as sir, not Almasy, and definitely not by my first name! I am sir to you. What do you have to say about that?'

' I'll show you what I have to say about that Almasy!' Zarack drew his two blades.

Seifer cast Firaga on the disobedient cadet, causing him to fall to his knees again.

' Okay punk, lesson one.' Seifer said picking Zarack up by his hair, ' I don't tolerate this crap. When I tell you to train, you will train. When I tell you to run, you'll run. And if I give you orders, you will damn well follow those orders! You will respond to everything I say with "yes sir", unless I ask you something where you have to say somethin' else.' Seifer tossed the now frightened cadet aside, ' Now, you will…' Seifer did not have enough time to end that sentence when a T-Rexuar came running up to him.

Seifer cast Blind on the monster, and sidestepped away from its charge.

' Kill that T-Rexuar!' Seifer ordered.

Zarack picked up his swords that had dropped to the ground when Seifer cast Firaga on him. He ran up to the T-Rexuar's legs, and slashed at it. The T-Rexuar turned its head to see Zarack, however still could not because of the Blind spell. Zarack ran underneath the monster, and stuck his two blades in its chest. The two swords pierced the lungs of the giant creature, and the beast toppled over on top of the young cadet.

Zarack was crushed underneath the T-Rexuar. Seifer stood up from where he was sitting watching the struggle, and started to pull the T-Rexuar off of the cadet in his care. There are not many people with the strength the pick up a T-Rexuar, and Seifer was not one of those people. All he could do was lift the body of the monster just enough for him to move Zarack out of the way with his feet.

Zarack started to wake up, and he just recalled what had happened.

' Well, uh, thanks Almasy.' Zarack said.

Seifer responded by hitting Zarack in the back of the head with his gloved hand.

' You idiot! Didn't you know that if you were under the T-Rexuar when you killed it, it would fall on you? You damn near killed yourself!' Seifer yelled at the cadet.

' Whatever man, I still killed it.'

' It was blinded for Hyne's sake! It really didn't stand a chance, 'cause it relies on its physical power to attack, if it can't see what use are its attacks?'

Zarack didn't reply, which was some headway, because normally he would argue with anyone who said that. Seifer decided he would leave it at that.

' Okay kid; let's go out near the Fire Cavern. We'll do some sparring, and call it a day, okay?'

' Yes sir.' Zarack said, not wanting to ruin what was Seifer in the best mood he had seen.

Seifer worked Zarack to no end, and even farther. The young cadet struggled to keep up with the experienced ex-knight, and it was extremely difficult. Seifer noticed that Zarack's attacks were losing power, and pulled the trigger of his gunblade after one of his strikes to hit the young man's swords. The swords flew out of Zarack's hands, and he scrambled to get at them.

Seifer placed his Hyperion under Zarack's neck.

' You lose. That's twelve minutes, good. But by the time I'm done with you, you'll fight all day!' Seifer announced.

' Yeah…' Zarack said, thinking of nothing else to say.

' Ya forgot something.' Seifer reminded his "student" sternly.

' …Sir…' Zarack was still not used to saying that word.


	3. Schiria

Chapter III: Schiria

Early the next morning Seifer headed for the Training Center as he always does. He was already at the entrance when he heard Headmaster Cid on the intercom.

' Seifer Almasy, please come to my office.' He sounded fatigued.

' What the hell! I just got to the damn Training Center, and Cid wants me!' Seifer cursed, and went off to the headmaster's office.

In Cid's office, Seifer saw something he could not believe, ' What are you doin' here?' Seifer exclaimed.

The girl in front of him was no more than fourteen years old, he had met her before however this was the first time he truly bothered to note her looks. She had black hair that went down to her upper back, she was wearing the blue student uniform, and appeared to have had not seen any fights in her life.

' Hm, you do know her. I guess there's no need to introduce you then.' Headmaster Cid said.

' Uh, Headmaster Cid, Seifer really only knows my name. So maybe we should tell him more?' Said the young female standing in front of Cid's desk.

' Okay. Seifer, this is Schiria Dukedom. I hear you saved her life on a ship from Dollet, she was attacked by a, Elvoret was it?' Cid said.

' Yeah… So? Why do you want me here?' Seifer queried.

' Well, long story short: Schiria wishes to learn how to defend herself. Who better to train her than SeeD? That's what Mayor Dukedom thought anyway. So I want you to take her under your wing.' Cid explained.

' Why me? Why not the instructors, or any of the SeeDs?' Seifer said.

' Well…' Schiria started, ' All of the instructors are too busy to take me on, and none of the SeeDs are willing.'

' Do you think I want to?' Seifer retorted, ' Besides, I already have one "student" anyway.'

' A group is better suited for her leaning Seifer. Besides, you saved her life once, she would listen to you, and dare I say, trust you?' Cid said.

' Please Seifer?' Schiria pleaded.

' Will I get extra credit for this?' Seifer asked the headmaster.

' Tons. You'll also be paid directly from Mayor Dukedom, consider it a pre-SeeD mission.' Cid told Seifer.

' Yeah, okay.' Seifer agreed, and Schiria almost leaped for joy, ' I'll take on the challenge only because no SeeD is brave enough to take the job. C'mon Schiria, we're gonna get you a weapon…' Seifer said.

' Seifer, I want you to take Schiria to the Trabia Cavern to get her a GF too. Take this note, it'll pass you off as her SeeD support for today.' Cid said, handing Seifer a note.

' Okay, I'll bring along Zarack, he can fight some Blue Dragons while we're in the Cavern…' Seifer said, and took Schiria to the Balamb Garden weapons cache.

The weapons cache was at the bottom of the Garden, the Garden workers noticed the new student and her temporary instructor and let them inside. Inside were all sorts of weapons: swords of all kinds, copies of the Revolver gunblade, certain handguns, and staves, to name the more powerful.

' Alright, choose a weapon suited to your ability, and all that crap.' Seifer told Schiria.

' Okay!' Schiria said enthusiastically.

She scouted the entire room, which was large enough to accommodate ten Malboros. It held every basic form of every type of weapon you could think of. At the back of the room Schiria found a set of katanas. She marveled at the lightweight weapon, and decided to ask Seifer what it was.

' Seifer, what is this?' She called out.

Seifer walked to the origin of the sound, and saw Schiria holding up the katana.

' That is a katana it has the power of a sword and is so light even you will be able to use it.' Seifer explained.

Schiria gave Seifer somewhat of a glare at his remark, and then went back to looking at the thin blade in her hand. The curved blade was three feet long, and an inch wide, it was a marvelous weapon.

' So, you're going to teach me how to use this?' Schiria asked.

' Uh yeah, sure…' Seifer said, he never met anyone who could not use a weapon, ' Actually, I'll teach you nothing.' Seifer said, getting an idea, Schiria looked shocked and Seifer continued, ' You'll learn by yourself.' Seifer saw the young girl glare at him, ' As I was saying, the best way to learn how to fight is to teach yourself. We'll stop off at the Training Center, and get you used to your weapon of choice.'

' Seifer, isn't there any basics you should teach me?' Schiria said, remaining clam.

' Well, if you put it that way…' Seifer said, taking her katana.

' You should know how to swing, like so.' Seifer said, swinging katana, clearly mocking Schiria, ' Also, you should know how to stab…' He demonstrated each move that a child should know in such a fashion that would mock any self-respecting person.

Schiria looked like she was ready to attack Seifer, but quickly calmed herself.

' Right… Well, lets go then, if you aren't going to tell me, I guess I'll just have to find out.'

' That's what I've been telling you!' Seifer said, grating his words so they annoyed Schiria to no end.

' Really, does he just _love_ to laugh at people?' Schiria thought, and followed Seifer to the Training Center.

Schiria noticed that Seifer received several glares from the students they passed.

' Seifer, why are all these people looking at you like you shot them in the leg?' Schiria asked the traitor.

' You don't know me? I'm Seifer Almasy, traitor and the asshole who joined the Sorceress who wanted to destroy Garden. I personally lead the attack on this place, which more than likely killed or injured most of the students slash SeeDs slash everybody that got in the Galbadian soldier's way.' Seifer told Schiria.

Schiria remembered the lesson she learned in school about the second Sorceress War, she however never learned about Seifer Almasy.

' Uh, I never heard of you in the history of the second Sorceress War…'

' Of course not! Edea felt so damn bad that she fell to Ultimecia and got me involved in it, that she used her good influence to wipe the record of my being an enemy of the world during the second Sorceress War from the record books! That means I won't be famous! It means that no one will remember that I was the bad guy too, but come on! I would rather die a famous bad guy than a non-famous nobody. I don't even know where I should stand…' Seifer said, feeling down on himself yet again.

Schiria just then saw the true Seifer, the man who craves attention more than any one man can handle. She saw the fear in his eyes when he spoke of being forgotten. The ambitious man, who's lost his dream, a nobody. Schiria noticed that Seifer's greatest fear had almost come true, that he will not be remembered by anyone.

' Seifer, there is always a chance. If you attacked this place, why are you here again? Cid told me that you were being given one more chance to set right all of the wrongs you've done. And never forget: where there's a will, there's a way. It means get to work, and if you get down and dirty, you'll eventually do anything you want. Seifer, I know you can do it. You have proven yourself a hero, at least to me. I know you can become a SeeD, and from there you should shoot to be the most famous SeeD alive! Better than Squall, if only you quit feeling sorry for yourself and get to working on your future.' Schiria could not believe that she had thought of what she just said.

Seifer stared right into Schiria's eyes.

' Geez, she's just like Fujin!' Seifer thought, marveling at how much alike Schiria was to his best friend Fujin, ' Well, not quite, she doesn't kick Raijin in the leg as much. I can't believe how much I miss my posse. Hell, Fujin more so…' Seifer lost himself in thought.

' Well, stop staring into space, and let's go Seifer.' Schiria said, deciding not to continue to delve into Seifer's personal problems, ' I'll get him to open up to me later…' She thought.

They arrived at the Training Center, where Schiria met Zarack.

' Hey, you're late!' Zarack yelled at Seifer, ' I've been waiting here for over twenty minutes.

' Don't expect the teacher to always be on time boy!' Seifer told Zarack, ' Didn't you hear Cid's announcement? He wanted me in his office. Or were you sleeping?'

' Uh, the announcement woke me up…' Zarack confessed.

' Anyhow, I have another damn student. Her name is Schiria Dukedom.' Seifer explained.

' Why the hell did _you_ get another student?' Zarack asked, then it hit him, ' Schiria Dukedom? Why the hell is the daughter of the mayor of Dollet here?'

' You ask too many questions. She wants to learn how to fight, I think she'll do better hiring body guards, more pay for people like us.' Schiria gave Seifer yet another dirty look, ' Getting to the point… I now have a class to teach. Geez, that sounds **way **too weird. Now Zarack take Schiria around the Training Center, help her deal with any Grats that give her problems.'

' That'll be every three minutes.' Zarack said, gaining a now trademark dirty look from Schiria.

' Yeah, that's why you're with her.'

' Why not you? She'll only slow me down.'

' I'll only kill everything before she can get to 'em. Yeah that means you gotta make sure she gets her fair share of experience. Hell she needs it more than you. Now I want no backtalk, or I'll cast Ultima on you. Now go!'

Zarack nodded, and took Schiria around the Training Center. Schiria held her katana at her side, looking around for the Grats.

' Uh, Zarack where are the Grats?' Schiria asked.

' Hiding, they'll attack us when they want something to eat, or just feel threatened. Calling monsters, monsters is not fair, they're more like animals than we care to think.' Zarack explained.

' Oh…' Schiria said.

They came across a lone Grat who appeared to be eating a small prey.

' Okay, back attack, let's go Schiria.' Zarack whispered.

Zarack and Schiria walked over to the Grat, and Zarack let Schiria attack first since she never attacked with a weapon before. Schiria ran up to the feeding Grat and struck it with her katana. The monster let out a screech of what seemed like pain, and fell to the ground.

' That's strange, I've never heard that before…' Zarack stood pondering.

Suddenly as if by magic, the two were ambushed by Grats all around them. The monsters attacked all at once, greatly harming both of the teenagers. Schiria screamed, and Zarack tried to fight back, but found that every Grat he attacked two more came from behind it. Schiria also attempted to swing her sword, but found it get knocked away by a Grat that was stronger than she was.

' Damn, and me without my GF!' Zarack cursed.

Seifer noticed that his two "students" were not back yet, and thought that something must have been going on. He hurried to follow where Zarack and Schiria went.

For Zarack and Schiria hope seemed thin, but just then they heard another inhuman sound. The Grats ran away from their prey, and Zarack remembered the sound.

' Schiria, let's go, a T-Rexuar is coming!' Zarack told the girl at his side.

Schiria looked up at Zarack, she was bleeding profoundly from a scar on the side of her head made from one of the attacking Grats. She took up her once hidden weapon, and tried to stumble off to where Zarack pointed. He was pointing to some overhanging bushes that would possibly hide them from the soon approaching T-Rexuar. Zarack helped the wounded Schiria to the bushes, however it became too late. The T-Rexuar had spotted them, and it was known to attack anything smaller than it was, regardless if it was hungry or not.

Zarack drew his two swords, and prepared to fight the oncoming giant. Schiria too noticed that if she were going to survive she would need to fight also, and she picked up her sword. The gargantuan monster charged at the wounded cadet, and hit him a few feet away with its head.

Seifer arrived to see the T-Rexuar looking straight at Schiria, he then knew he would have to intervene or risk losing his extra credit. He drew the Hyperion, and ran up to the scene. Schiria looked extremely frightened, and the adrenaline in her veins caused her to lose control of herself.

' Vyis!' She said, why though was beyond her.

She held her weapon out in front of her, and the blade glowed bright white. She then made a slashing movement towards the ground, and the energy flew from her blade, to the T-Rexuar. The ray of light struck the behemoth, and causing all of the air in the monsters lungs to dissipate.

The T-Rexuar struggled for air, and Seifer saw this as his chance. He ran at the monster, and cut at its legs. The monster turned its head to see the new threat, and found a Firaga spell as its reward. Seifer dodged the now very angry T-Rexuar, and slashed at it again. The monster continued to chase Seifer around, until the tricky mercenary was able to trick it into running itself into a wall. The T-Rexuar tried with all its might to crush Seifer into the wall, however the trench coat wearing ex-knight was quicker than the monster and the T-Rexaur crashed headfirst.

Zarack got up, and walked towards Seifer, and Schiria finally got grips with her physical being and fell to the ground. Seifer ran up to Schiria, and saw she had a scar on her head.

' Damn, we gotta get her to the infirmary!' Seifer said then looked over to Zarack, ' Zarack, why the hell didn't you protect Schiria?'

' We were surrounded, I couldn't help her.'

Seifer picked up Schiria, and sprinted off to the infirmary.


	4. Sorceress' Knight

Chapter IV: Sorceress' Knight

Seifer had brought Schiria to Dr. Kadowaki in the infirmary. The Garden doctor had the unconscious girl placed on a bed, and she got to work right away. Dr. Kadowaki applied anti-biotic, and sealed the wound. Afterwards she asked what happened.

' Well, what happened Seifer?' She asked.

' I really don't know… I put Schiria in the care of Zarack, and apparently monsters surrounded them. Ask him…' Seifer said, turning his head to Zarack.

' Well, I forgot to junction my GF that morning…' Zarack started.

' Hey, we don't care what you _forgot_, we want to know what the hell happened!' Seifer interrupted Zarack.

' Whatever Seifer, what _happened_ was more Grats than I could count suddenly attacked us. We tried to fight back but the numbers were overwhelming, that's when Schiria got her scar. They were scared off by the approach of a T-Rexuar, and I tried to get us to a safe place; we weren't in the best shape to take on a T-Rexuar. We couldn't make it, and that's when Schiria used that attack, I think she called it Vyis. It created enough of a distraction for you to kill it.' Zarack told them, looking at Seifer.

' Well, that explains the scar, but what about that attack? How could a girl her age, muster up the courage, let alone the strength to hit a T-Rexuar with enough power to even distract it?' Dr. Kadowaki asked.

' I don't know, I never heard of it…' Seifer said, ' It was a bright light coming from her sword. Whatever it was it saved her life, and most likely this wuss' too.' Seifer said, pointing to Zarack.

' Hey!' Zarack said.

' Hey, what?' Seifer interrupted Zarack, the young cadet decided not to say anymore, least he get hurt.

Seifer decided that would be enough action for those two for one day, and headed to the Training Center for his fair share. After spending an hour training it occurred to him that he would have to report to Cid that one of his students got hurt.

' Damn, that's one thing I'm not looking forward to…' Seifer thought, and headed for the headmaster's office.

At the headmaster's office, Seifer explained everything to Cid.

' Well, remember Schiria? She got hurt, just like I thought she would.' Seifer told the headmaster.

' What? What happened to her?' Cid demanded.

' I left her in Zarack's care for a little stroll around the monster's lair, and Zarack tells me they got surrounded by Grats. In that short time Schiria got cut on the head.'

' Is she okay?'

' If she's anything like that wuss Squall she'll be back on her feet within the hour…' Seifer thought, ' I don't know, she's knocked out, but she should be okay in an hour or two.'

' That counts against your judgment grade Seifer. Now, Dr. Kadowaki tells me she used some sort of attack that made that T-Rexuar rue the day he tried to eat her. Tell me your thoughts on that Seifer.'

' Yeah, I think she used a Limit Break, and a pretty powerful one at that! I personally can't believe that a girl her age, and her skill level used a Limit Break, let alone one powerful enough to knock the breath out of a T-Rexuar.'

' I think we have someone special here Seifer. Train her well, you are her instructor as of this moment.'

' What! Why are you using me as one of your "hopes and dreams"?'

' Because I know you are destined to do big things Seifer. I knew it ever since we met; I just had to give up on you before. But now it seems your becoming the warrior I hoped you'd be. I'm giving you a window of opportunity here Almasy.'

' Yeah, sure, I'll continue to train Schiria that was my job from the start wasn't it?'

' Good! Since she's resting, and probably won't be ready for it today, I'll give you this note that passes you off as her SeeD support day after tomorrow. She should get a GF as soon as she is ready.' Seifer took the note, and nodded his head and began to leave, ' Oh, and Seifer: try to convince her to join SeeD, I think she'll be good at it.' Cid said.

' No promises, it is her decision. But we'll see if she makes a good SeeD, the field exam is coming up.'

' Right, if she passes that, I'll pass her off as a SeeD if she wants to be one. Now go, I'm certain you want to go back to the Training Center now.'

Seifer left, and headed for the place Headmaster Cid predicted, Seifer would get some training, lunch, more training, and rest for the night.

The next day, Seifer, Zarack, and Schiria met at the Training Center like always. Seifer didn't trust Zarack with Schiria anymore, so he took her around the Training Center while Zarack did one hundred laps for his failure the other day. Seifer actually showed Schiria the basics of swordplay, however since Seifer taught himself how to fight, he had to make up make up his own teaching strategies.

That day was filled with basic training for Schiria, and punishment for Zarack. One of the ways Seifer punished the young cadet was with the privilege of one of his two swords being taken away from him, and he had to kill twenty Grats to get his Murasame returned to him. Seifer taught Schiria the unwritten rule: that the best defense is a good offense, by telling her the story of when he beat Squall before the SeeD field exam a year ago.

Once Schiria was ready, Seifer took her to the Trabia Cavern where she would attain the Guardian Force "Siren". Seifer told her that she would have to choose a time limit in which to find, beat the Guardian Force, and exit the cavern in. He suggested the time limit of ten minutes, because the Trabia Cavern is not large, and ten minutes was more than enough time in which to beat Siren.

Seifer took Zarack along also, telling the cadet to hunt down the local monsters. He told Zarack that he wanted to see the head of twenty monsters by the time he got back from the Trabia Cavern with Schiria. Seifer and Schiria approached the two Garden faculty workers at the mouth of the cavern; they did not look like the old faculty members who were employed by NORG. These faculty members looked rather permissible, instead of the stricter looking ones in the robes.

Seifer handed one of them the note that Cid had wrote, the faculty member looked at it, then at Seifer, and finally Schiria.

' Okay, student ID#178903 Schiria Dukedom?' One of them asked, and Schiria nodded her head, ' This is the Trabia Cavern, there are several caverns around the world that contain GF's. This one holds the GF Siren, your objective is to reach the end of the cavern, attain the GF, and exit within the allotted time. You will choose your own time limit, choose one suited to your ability, challenging yet responsible. Your choices are ten minutes, twenty minutes, or thirty minutes.'

' I choose ten minutes.' Schiria told them.

' Okay, we'll start timing you the second you enter the cavern.' The faculty member told her.

' Schiria, just run, if you see a monster hit it and run past it, don't worry if you don't kill it.' Seifer told her.

Schiria nodded her head, and entered the cavern with Seifer following her. The inside of the Trabia Cavern looked like some water leaked into it, water dripped from the ceiling, and some puddles formed around is some places on the ground. The path appeared to be cut in naturally; the ground was smooth considering.

Schiria did as Seifer said, and just ran blankly into the cavern ahead of him. A few bats came across her, and met the sharp end of her katana. Schiria marveled at how weak these monsters were compared to the ones in the Training Center.

' Seifer, these monsters are pretty weak.' She said, running through the cavern.

' Yeah, just think of it this way: you started on level two in the Training Center, and now you're on level one.' Seifer explained.

'Ah, I see.' Schiria said, killing a Buel.

After one minute, they arrived at the end of the cavern and saw a rock in the middle of a center of a shallow pool of water. Siren floated down onto the rock, where the Guardian Force sat down. Seifer nodded to Schiria that she would have to fight Siren.

Seifer sat this one out, because he knew that he could defeat Siren in one hit and that would just ruin Schiria's test. Siren used her attack "Silent Voice" on Schiria, which caused minimal damage. Schiria responded with a charge at Siren, neither too weak, nor too powerful. She reached the Guardian Force, and slashed at it several times, before Siren could use a Water spell to send her a foot away.

Siren cast Water again, however Schiria rolled away from the rush of water and ran at the GF again. This time Schiria leapt over the Guardian Force, and slashed at its back. Schiria was able to hit Siren enough times for it to admit defeat.

' You have proven yourself worthy indeed, you may call upon me when magic threatens you.' Siren said, and left the way it entered.

Seifer tapped Schiria on the shoulder.

' You have three minutes to get out of here.' He reminded her.

Schiria nodded, and headed for the entrance. It took them a minute to exit, leaving Schiria with two minutes to spare. The Garden faculty members congratulated Schiria, and Seifer took a look around for Zarack. He found the cadet just finishing off a Gayla, adding the twentieth head to his pile.

' Hey Zarack, you just made it.' Seifer taunted.

' Hey, these damn monsters are always runnin' away from me. I could've done better, if only these damn monsters stopped fleeing.' Zarack replied.

' Yeah, well the Field Exam is day after tomorrow. So let's take it easy, let's just kill five T-Rexuars in the Training Center as a team.'

' Geez, thanks. Schiria? I don't think she'll wanna see one of those again…'

' Oh come on, she knocked the wind out of one, that's more than I can say about you at that age!'

' Or you?'

' Don't be smart, stupid!'

' C'mon, you know its true!'

' Screw it here she comes, we gotta head back to Balamb Garden now anyway. Schiria got her GF, so our job is done here.' Seifer told Zarack as Schiria approached them.

' Hey guys, well I guess we have to go back to Garden now, right?' Schiria said.

' Yeah, so let's go.' Seifer said, and left for the transport that brought them to Trabia.

Schiria shrugged and trailed Seifer, Zarack laughed as he had finally thought of a way to get at Seifer. The ride back to Balamb Garden was uneventful, Schiria just equipped her first Guardian Force and Seifer explained to her how powerful she could become by drawing magic from monsters and equipping them to certain learned stats. To this Schiria had thought of a question.

' What has your GF learned?' Schiria asked.

' Nothing, my GF's been trying to learn some sort of mystery technique. I must've given it all of the time it needs, but no, even more is required. As it gets closer though, it'll give me one more letter to the technique's name.' Seifer said.

' So far what have you got?' Schiria asked.

' H-Y-P-E-R… So far it spells "hyper", but there are more letters to it's damn name.'

' Hyper Blast?'

' Hah, ya really think such a lame ass name would be the tital of the technique my GF's been trying to learn for a month now?'

' Just a thought…' Schiria looked to the ground.

' Schiria, now that you've got yourself a GF, I gotta tell you: the price for using a GF is losing your memories; god knows it's happened to me. So keep a journal, or somethin', eh?' Seifer told her.

' Really! Does that mean everything they say about the GF is true?' Schiria said, she was somewhat frightened.

' I'll fill this one Seifer.' Zarack told Seifer, ' The GF is only known to steal away memories, everything else is BS. GFs aren't really dangerous, just depends on where you stand. Personally I don't care if the memories of my father going insane and killing my mother then trying to do me in goes suddenly missing, but… Damn Ifrit won't take it…'

' Uh, sorry Zarack…' Schiria said.

' Yeah, just the way it goes…' Seifer started, ' Most SeeDs are orphans, hell some of 'em were orphans that got homes, then went to Garden anyway 'cause they didn't fit in at their new homes, and so on. I can think of a good few examples…'

' Oh, well thanks for telling me that Seifer…' Schiria said.

' Let's hear some of these examples, eh Seifer?' Zarack asked.

' Line starts with me and goes around the block, twice. Just be glad you had had a mother.' Seifer told Zarack.

' Yeah…' Zarack said, looking down to the ground.

' Well, lets forget about this. Let's just go back to Garden and relax, there's a written test that I want to take at Garden and it seems you two might want to hit the Training Center.' Schiria announced.

' You're taking the SeeD written test?' Seifer asked.

' Yeah, I want to see if I can join SeeD, maybe I can.' Schiria said.

' Well… Then maybe you should do some studying with me a little first, eh?' Seifer offered.

' You? C'mon Seifer!' Zarack laughed.

' Hey!' Seifer told Zarack, ' You're lookin' at the only guy to ever ace the SeeD written test in two minutes!' Seifer announced.

' Yeah, bull.' Zarack said.

' Ask instructor Trepe she'll tell ya. Now, Schiria the SeeD written test is like nothing you'll ever take. You gotta get one hundred percent to pass, you'll have to do a little cramming before, or I'm certain you'll fail.' Seifer said.

' Thanks Seifer, but I studied for this test for two days before I came to Garden, I think I'll be fine.' Schiria said.

' Okay, well then I'll be joinin' ya in the Training Center then Zarack!' Seifer said, and reclined in his chair.

The three had returned to Balamb Garden, it appeared as though nothing had happened. Schiria had to get to the second floor classroom for her written test, and headed for the elevator immediately after entering the Garden. Seifer turned to Zarack.

' Okay, let's go train; Schiria'll join us when she's done the test. I want to see a bare minimum of ten dead T-Rexuars by the end of the day!' Seifer announced.

' Yeah.' Zarack said.

' What did you say?'

'Yes sir…'

' That's better!'

Seifer and Zarack searched the Training Center for T-Rexuars, and were pleased when they found several easier than normal. Seifer would let Zarack fight the monsters head on, and Seifer would get in a hit when forgotten by the beast. After defeating some Grats who had assaulted the two, a T-Rexuar came up from behind them. Recognizing Seifer as the more dangerous of the two, the T-Rexuar hit Seifer away with its head.

Zarack saw the large head bat Seifer away, and immediately attacked the vulnerable neck. The T-Rexuar lifted its neck away from more slashes from the Masamune and Murasame, and swung its tail around to hit Zarack. The cadet was hit away from the giant's tail, at the same time Seifer arose to fight. Seifer struck the monster, and then heard Zarack.

' Cross!' The cadet said, and ran up to the T-Rexuar slashing down with the Masamune, and across with the Murasame in a cross formation.

The cross was outlined in fire, and closed soon after being created. The T-Rexuar fell to the ground after absorbing too many powerful hits from the pair. Seifer recounted the amount of T-Rexuars he and Zarack had defeated.

' Okay, that's the tenth one. It's dinner, and rest 'till the field exam.' Seifer announced.

' Fine by me I gotta sharpen my swords, to get 'em ready for the field exam anyway.' Zarack said.

Seifer heard his Guardian Force's voice in his head.

' H-Y-P-E-R-I.' Fairir said, revealing another letter to the mysterious technique.

Seifer noted this, and headed for the entrance of the Training Center. At the entrance, Schiria ran up to Seifer and Zarack.

' Hey guys, I passed the written test!' She announced with pride.

' Good, the field exam is day after tomorrow, I'm not gonna meet either of you tomorrow. It's free time 'till the field exam. So just do what ya think is right to prepare for it.' With those words, Seifer left Zarack and Schiria.

Seifer headed for the Cafeteria for his dinner, and then his dorm for rest. He wondered how his friends were doing, and if they were going to become SeeDs. Seifer was certain he would become a SeeD; he was going to make sure of it. He then heard an announcement from Cid about new students, whose names were not noticed by Seifer. He also heard Cid ask for Seifer's presence.

' Dammit again! When will Cid let me be?' Seifer thought, he was angry.

Seifer made his way to the third floor, and found Cid in his normal place, behind his desk. Cid motioned for Seifer to take a seat, and cleared his throat.

' Seifer, Schiria has passed her written test, and wishes to join SeeD. I don't know what you did, but congratulations are in order.' Cid said.

' I did nothing…' Seifer thought to himself.

' And I want you to do something for me: even though Schiria has passed the written test, and successfully attained a GF. She still doesn't have the sheer amount of experience a normal SeeD cadet has at this stage. And since it is still a part of your duty, you must keep her safe. Only if anything out of the ordinary happens, you should drop the objective at hand to ensure her safety. You have permission, so disobeying orders on that one objective is alright.' Cid said.

' Drop the mission to save her ass?' Seifer asked, he was slightly annoyed at Cid's apparent disregard of the mission.

' Consider it _your _primary objective. I really do hate to have to give an order like this, but don't worry, I'm putting you on a squad that can hold up without you or Schiria.'

' Zarack…' Seifer said, hardly thinking.

' That's right. Zarack should be able to get the job done on his own.'

' Of course, I trained him.'

' Yes, well you are dismissed.' Cid said, and went back to whatever document that was on his desk.

Seifer left for his dorm, where he was before Cid interrupted his thinking. Seifer waited for the field exam, he was greatly annoyed at the thought of "waiting" but did so anyway.

The next day was uneventful; he saw Schiria in the library on his way to check out "The Sorceress' Knight" for the second time in is life. The first time he read it, it gave him a goal to shoot for, more wonderful that SeeD. Now he wishes to re-read the book, and see just where he lost his mind in search of this "dream".

He said nothing to Schiria and checked out his book, he preferred to not say anything until he had regained himself. He started on the first chapter, the sorceress chapter.

" The Great Hyne's power passes through the ages, and had split in two to create the sorceresses. The sorceresses are humans with the powers of the Great Hyne, however the One with the direct linkage to Hyne's bloodline will have the greatest knowledge" Starts the book.

' Like Rinoa has knowledge…' Seifer thought.

" The sorceress' life is not without danger, as some heathens resent the Great Hyne. The sorceress needs someone loyal and true to protect her, the sorceress needs a knight to defend her on her life's journey. One who will show her love beyond the ages."

' The romantic part…' Seifer thought.

" This knight is the highest of all mortal men, and posses strength and courage higher than that of any human."

' Squall, knight-wannabe…' Seifer thought.

" It is the greatest honour to be chosen."

' Damn straight! Like that idiot Squall has honour to feel that!' Seifer had enough of that chapter, and skipped ahead to the end, he remembered all of the details about signs, and characteristic traits.

" Of Great Hyne, the Sorceress' Knight, in history the very intent of Hyne."

' The very intent of the creator of us all. I wanted in on this high honour, it would put me high above everyone.' Seifer remembered, ' But at what cost? The Sorceress' Knight works alone, I could not leave Fujin and Raijin like that, even when I was Ultimecia's knight. How can I even say I was her "knight"? She was an evil sorceress who used me; it took even some of her magic to seduce me like she did.' Seifer put down the book; he needed to work off some aggression.


	5. Trajin

Chapter V: Trajin

The day had finally come, the day for the SeeD field exam. A large quantity of students mostly coming from Instructor Trepe's homeroom, met at the Garden map. Seifer never did change into uniform, and was wearing the same thing he wore everyday. Headmaster Cid arrived to make his brief speech, Seifer knew it to never change too much.

' Well, here we are at another year of the SeeD field exam. You will be proceeding to an actual battlefield; obviously the battles are for real. So, are you still up for it?' Cid looked over them, ' The pride of Balamb Garden, the mercenary force SeeD! Learn from them, obey their commands, ' Cid looked directly at Zarack, ' And complete the mission.'

Seifer noticed that something was missing from the headmaster's speech.

' He left out the SeeD saving the day; should we fail, part…'

Everyone reported to the front gate for squad assignments. Several names were called, to make twenty squads of three cadets. The only squad assignment that Seifer cared to hear was the last one.

' Squad T captain will be Zarack Freiz, Squad T will be Seifer Almasy and Schiria Dukedom. The squads are set, proceed to Balamb to board the vessel.'

Zarack, Seifer, and Schiria met outside Balamb Garden,

' Man, I'm your captain!' Zarack exclaimed, looking at Seifer.

' There's a good reason for that…' Seifer thought, and pointed to Balamb.

' Yeah, we need to get there, I don't want to miss the vessel.' Schiria said.

Zarack nodded, and headed for Balamb, with Seifer and Schiria following him. They arrived in Balamb, and boarded the vessel. Inside the transport, an instructor Seifer never cared to know the name of entered to give the mission briefing.

' We are going to Timber, as you know Timber has received independence shortly after the second sorceress war. Thus, the place is in political turmoil, and the military wishes to take control of the city. The few loyal soldiers are not holding up well, and the request for SeeD was made thirty hours ago. That is the current situation.'

' Okay, mission briefing?' Zarack asked.

' You, Squad T are to go to the Timber Maniacs building, and clear out the enemy camp there. Then you are on standby for additional orders.' The instructor said.

' Another stupid standby order… They always do this…' Seifer thought.

' We are nearly at the strike zone; this transport will land you just outside the city. From there you have a short trek to the city entrance, there you will undoubtedly come across enemy soldiers expecting us. We suspect there to be a large brawl at the entrance, be prepared!' The instructor said, and sat down.

The transport arrived at a beach near Timber, and switched to its land transport mode. It let out the cadets, and returned to the beach. Everyone ran ahead to the city, and just as expected there were several guards waiting for the SeeD backup.

' Here they are, show no mercy to these kids!' The commanding soldier yelled at his men.

The Timber military were armed with standard militia swords; guns with long range were not used very often, for they were disgraceful weapons and should only be used when swords cannot possibly work. The Timber army was well trained, however were unprepared for the surprising strength and skill of the SeeD cadets. They were particularly frightened of Seifer, who killed every soldier within his reach.

Zarack with his two swords were able to fight off enemy soldiers on both sides. The young man's skill was great enough to fight off any soldier who crossed him. Schiria was able to fend off several soldiers; she had uncanny skill with her weapon and left many wounded enemies. The cadets broke through the blockade, and squads A through D had orders to take care of the enemy at the gate before heading to their objectives. Zarack, Schiria, and Seifer met past the gate in the city.

' Okay, we gotta clear out the Timber Maniacs building.' Zarack said, and headed for the landmark.

Seifer and Schiria silently followed him, while a figure watches them.

' What, did she and him have a kid already? Is that why she left me?' The figure asked himself, not in a good mood.

Zarack, Schiria, and Seifer made it to the Timber Maniacs building, and found two guards.

' What the.' Says one of the guards, ' We heard they were sending in SeeD, but kids?'

Without saying anything, Zarack and Seifer finish them off. While they are busy, the figure runs at them, and grabs Schiria. Applying pressure to her hand so she cannot attack with her weapon, and escaping with her.

' Dammit, Trajin!' Seifer exclaimed.

' Great, we gotta go after her!' Zarack says.

' No way, you continue with the mission its your responsibility as leader. It's my duty to protect Schiria.' Seifer tells Zarack, and chases after Trajin.

Zarack shrugged, and headed inside the Timber Maniacs building. Hoping that there are not too many enemy soldiers inside. Seifer was able to catch Trajin and Schiria at the train station.

' When I kill you, you're mother will find solace with me!' He says, clearly insane.

' What are you talking about?' Schiria asked her captor.

' Don't play stupid with me! I know your Fujin's daughter, and that stupid idiot Seifer's as well!' Trajin exclaims.

' I am Schiria Dukedom, I am not Seifer's daughter!' Schiria spat out, as if Trajin had mocked her religion.

' You lie! And now you die!' Trajin yelled.

Suddenly a pulsation of white coloured energy knocks Trajin away.

' Draniya!' Schiria yells, and a dragon white with energy appear from her hands, and flies towards Trajin.

The serpent like dragon hit Trajin, and the energy exploded in a rather passive fashion. Trajin was knocked down by the energy, and did not rise.

Schiria saw Trajin fall still, and ran to Seifer.

' He's not…dead, is he?' She said, tears forming in her eyes.

' Don't know…why are you crying?' Seifer was confused, she wanted to be a SeeD, but could not kill a man.

' I'm not!' She said, blinking the tears away, ' We have to get back to Timber Maniacs, where is Zarack anyway?'

' Since I trained him, he should be done the mission by now.'

' Okay, I guess I fail the exam then, huh Seifer?'

' Never say die, Schiria. Now let's get back to Mr. Leader.' Seifer said, starting a sprint back to the Timber Maniacs building.

Schiria followed Seifer, and soon they found the young cadet sitting on the stairs.

' I got 'em.' Zarack informs them, ' No thanks to you.'

' Right…' Seifer said.

' Also, I received new orders…' Zarack was saying when Seifer interrupted him.

' Better not be an evacuation order…'

' Nope, we got orders to get to the mayor's residence ASAP. Heard his security's almost wiped out, he wants SeeD to go on standby at his residence.' Zarack said.

' Great, we get standby elsewhere…' Seifer said.

' Yeah, we're the one's who got to go there too, so let's get goin', huh?' Zarack ordered, and started for the mayor's house in Timber.

The mayor's house was currently under attack, and the two forces of the enemy military, and security were both wiped out before their eyes.

' Okay, this is the **only** way in the residence. So we just have to wait here for the enemy.' Zarack sat down, looking down the road for the enemy to come.

It had been several hours, before Schiria started to pace.

' How long is this exam supposed to be?' She asked no one in particular.

' As long as the battle takes, or until an evacuation order is given.' Zarack informed her.

Suddenly a lone form approached them, he was not what any one of them were expecting.

' Trajin!' Seifer exclaimed.

' I just beat him!' Schiria said.

' I'm Raijin's half brother, people in our family can get up after _anything_!' Trajin laughed.

' Geez, half brother?' Seifer asked, he never thought Raijin had a brother.

' Oh, Raijin doesn't know, not yet anyway. Seifer, I didn't think _you _had a kid with the goddess named Fujin.' Trajin stated.

' Oh come on!' Seifer yelled, ' I'd never touch Fujin, and that's Schiria Dukedom, she ain't my daughter! I mean, she's fourteen, if she were my daughter I would have to had sex with Fujin when I was **five**!'

' You're lying! Why would Fujin not want**me** if she didn't already mother a child to _you_?' Infatuation had turned Trajin into a delusional madman.

' Fujin could never want an insane idiot like you! I know her, she ain't the type of woman to be tied down.'

' Once her daughter and you are out of her way she'll be able to settle down, **with me**!' Trajin took a large spear from off of his back; it had a blade at one end and the other end looked like Raijin's staff.

Seifer drew his gunblade, and his comrades drew their weapons also.

' No, he's mine!' Seifer told them, ' Okay Trajin, let's see if you're at least as strong as Raijin is. Let me show ya why Fujin would favor me over you!' Seifer said, using his secret technique of attacking his enemy's sense with insults.

Trajin ran at Seifer at a fast pace, and slashed at him with the sharp two-foot blade at the end of his wooden staff. Seifer parried the blow, and spun around to Trajin's back; a technique he had used on Squall a year ago. Trajin turned to face Seifer, and saw a Firaga spell heading toward him.

Trajin was not fast enough to evade the fiery blast, and was pushed three feet away. Seifer ran at Trajin as he got up from the Firaga spell, and slashed him with the Hyperion. Trajin attempted to hit Seifer, however was yet again too slow. Seifer made himself five feet away from Trajin, and motioned with his hand to taunt his opponent.

Trajin ran at Seifer with renewed stamina, and slashed at him with all the speed he could muster. Seifer parried each slash, and when Trajin began to tire from attacking, he cast Fire to send him away. He then cast Flare on Trajin to damage him even further. Trajin started to rise again, and Seifer decided to end this miniature battle.

' Okay Trajin, I'm done playing with you. Bloodfest!' Seifer cast Fire on Trajin, and leapt into the air.

While in the air, Seifer made a motion as if carving a cross in the air with his Hyperion. A cross made of fire actually appeared on the ground under Trajin, and the ground broke away from under his feet and Trajin fell into the eternal loop. Trajin then fell from out of he sky, and landed on the ground that had repaired itself after Seifer destroyed it.

Trajin did not arise after Seifer's most powerful Limit Break. Zarack clapped his hands, and Schiria looked frightened of Seifer if only for a second.

' Seifer, that was so unbelievably cool!' Zarack exclaimed.

' I can't believe that you actually carved a bottomless pit into the ground! How did you do it?' Schiria asked.

' It's chi energy, I use it to do many things: from shooting energy beams, to cutting holes in the ground. It's a Limit Break; I call it Fire Cross.' Seifer explained to Schiria.

' Wow, I don't think I'll ever be able to use one of those Limit Breaks.' Schiria said.

' Nah, you've used one already. Limit Breaks are distinguished when you call out a name, that you never knew you knew. I call my Limit Break Blaze.' Zarack explained.

' Oh, really?' Schiria asked.

' Yeah, I've seen two Limit Breaks out of you.' Seifer said.

' Really? Oh, I remember… Vyis and Draniya, right?' Schiria asked Seifer.

' Yeah…' Seifer responded.

' What do you call your Limit Break?' Zarack asked, making conversation to Schiria, he had somewhat taken a liking to the younger member of the opposite sex.

' I don't know… I'll think of something.' Schiria said.

' It isn't really something you think about, it just comes to you… Oh well, just give it time Schiria.' Zarack said.

Suddenly a male SeeD cadet, that looked around the same age as Zarack approached them. He saluted, and began to relay his message.

' I am Tomoyuki Takechi of Squad A, intelligence team. The mission is successful; the military has surrendered to Timber. We have orders to meet at EVAC by thirteen hundred hours.' He said.

' Great, a whole hour to get back to the vessel…' Zarack said, mocking the time Squall, Zell, and Selphie were chased out of Dollet by the X-ATMO92 Black Widow, ' Well, let's go, don't wanna be late!' He said, and took off for the exit of Timber.

Seifer laughed, and followed Zarack with Schiria and the messenger behind him. The transport was just outside Timber, and Zarack with his squad were able to get inside the transport in two minutes. Even still they were the last ones to arrive.

' What the hell? I thought you were to get that message to us ASAP? Why is everyone here ahead of us?' Zarack questioned the messenger.

' Well, I saw Seifer fighting that guy, and it was so damn cool! I had to watch; besides I couldn't really interrupt you, could I?' The messenger said, smiling.

' Yeah…' Zarack said, and boarded the vessel.

Seifer and Schiria silently followed him. The SeeD field exam was once again a success, and unbelievably none of the cadets were killed in the beginning with the fortification at the entrance. Needless to say that everyone who participated were alive and well.

The transport sped off back to Balamb, several of the cadets were wondering if they had passed the field exam and become a SeeD. Seifer sat confidently, he knew he was going to pass; he did everything that was ordered. Zarack wondered if he lost points when he let Seifer go after Schiria, and Schiria had gathered enough from her experience that she had failed.

They had made it back to Balamb, and left for the Garden. Zarack and his squad returned to Garden how they had left, on foot. As soon as they had arrived at the Garden, they heard the announcement for all of the cadets who took place in the field exam to meet in the second floor hallway.

They complied, and took the elevator up to the second floor, and noticed the other fifty-seven other cadets there as well. After three minutes of waiting, a Garden faculty worker came from the elevator, and took out the list of students that passed the field exam.

' Only four students have passed this field exam.' He started, ' In order of highest rank: Almasy, Freiz, Takechi, Dukedom.' The faculty worker then left for the elevator to accompany the graduates up to the headmaster's office.

Schiria's eyes widened with surprise, she did not expect to pass the field exam. The four who passed the field exam followed the faculty worker to the elevator, and the other cadets looked greatly disappointed.

In front of the headmaster, everyone stood at attention. Seifer also stood at attention for this one special occasion. Cid stood up to give the cadets their final grade, and congratulatory handshake.

Cid started with the lowest grade, going up to the highest, as always. He went to Schiria.

' You have great potential, just try not to get kidnapped again.' He whispered to her, in a cheerful way.

' GF's aren't everything, sometimes you need to let your own weapon do the fighting.' Cid whispered to Tomoyuki.

' Strength and vigor wins battles, but remember that today's SeeD needs to use his mind too.' He whispered to Zarack.

' Seifer, you will be a great SeeD should you keep this up!' He whispered to Seifer.

After the final grades were handed out, Cid stood in the center of the four SeeDs, and dismissed them. Seifer met Zarack and Schiria at the second floor, just outside the elevator.

' Okay, we get to give a speech in homeroom now!' Zarack said, sarcastically.

' What?' Schiria blurted, ' But I don't have one prepared!'

' You don't prepare one, its not really a speech anyway. You just go up, and tell them how you passed the field exam, or how you persevered over your biggest hurdles…' Seifer said, ' I heard several.'

' Oh, okay.' Schiria said.

' Okay, let's go get it over then.' Zarack walked slowly to the classroom on the second floor.

Everyone had cleared out of the hallway, which Seifer found to his liking. Zarack entered the classroom first, and then Schiria, and lastly Seifer. Everyone applauded the four SeeDs, and waited for the inevitable and very famous new SeeD speech. It went in way of, lowest grade to highest, saving the best for last.

Schiria stood at the instructor's desk, which acted as a podium. She started her minor speech.

' Becoming a SeeD takes a great effort, to gain the knowledge to proceed in missions and survive battle. The field exam proved to me my limitations, and strengths. All you need to keep in mind is that you are capable of anything. Those words kept me alive.' Schiria then left to be beside Zarack and Seifer.

Tomoyuki then went up, and talked about the importance of "keeping cool" in battle. Seifer whispered to Zarack and Schiria.

' Yeah, 'cause he kept using the GF to fight all his battles.' He mumbled to his students, Zarack and Schiria were able to smirk, and keep from laughing at this.

Next was Zarack, he decided to tell them about the importance of training.

' The key to survival in battle is to have fighting experience, and to keep vitality. The Training Center is open all day and all night for a reason, spend the day there when you have the time.' Zarack stopped, for that was all he wanted to say.

Lastly was Seifer, who had the highest marks and received the highest honors from Headmaster/Garden Master Cid. He, in the same fashion as he did when he was Galbadia's general, stood in front of the cadets.

' You all know me; I'm Seifer Almasy. You know about me from rumors around the Garden. I have nothing to say to you.' Seifer left the classroom, everyone inside were perplexed but truly did not expect too much of a speech from Seifer Almasy.

Zarack and Schiria found that Seifer had already gone when they exited the classroom.

' Probably at the Training Center…' Zarack said.

Sure enough Seifer was at the Training Center, Zarack and Schiria entered soon after he did and found him finishing off a T-Rexuar.

' Seifer, how did you do on the field exam?' Schiria asked him.

' You first.' Seifer responded.

' Uh, well, I got an ace in conduct, but I got varying grades in everything else.' Schiria said, handing Seifer her grades.

' Conduct: one hundred, Spirit: sixty, Judgment: seventy, Attack: sixty. Damn good for a rookie cadet, and she's **my **student!' Seifer said.

' What about you Seifer?' Zarack asked.

' Saving the best for last Zarack, you?' Seifer said.

' Okay,' He said, holding up his SeeD report, ' Conduct: ninety, Spirit: one hundred, Judgment: one hundred, Attack: one hundred. You need a perfect score to top that!' Zarack said, and Seifer silently handed him his SeeD report, ' Woah!' Zarack exclaimed, ' You got all aces!'

' Yeah, I'm just that good!' Seifer told him, taking his SeeD report back.

' How'd you manage that?' Zarack asked Seifer.

' By being the best!' Seifer said arrogantly, ' But I _did_ have to use some will power to follow orders like a little puppet.' Seifer added.

' Well, you certainly are good Seifer, I don't think that anyone in SeeD has gotten a perfect grade.' Schiria said.

' That's where you're wrong Schiria, I'm only the second to do it.' Seifer said.

' Don't tell me Squall got it.' Zarack blurted.

' No, Leonheart isn't that good. Trepe was the first SeeD in Garden history to ace the filed exam. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she hears I'm the second!' Seifer said, and began laughing.

Zarack and Schiria started laughing as well, they were all glad the field exam was behind them. Zarack and Schiria started to leave, because they remembered the SeeD inauguration party. Before he exited, Zarack reminded Seifer.

' Hey Seifer, we got to go change for the party tonight. And before I got here, Cid told me that you're going to have a surprise tonight. Oh, he also told me that you **have** to be in the SeeD uniform.' Zarack told Seifer, and then left.

' Yeah… Well, we'll just see how the thing looks on me first…' Seifer said to himself, while leaving for his dorm.

Seifer tried on the SeeD uniform, and he decided it just did not make him look like Seifer Almasy. So he changed out of the black SeeD uniform, and back into his normal trench coat dress. Soon came the time for the SeeD inauguration party, it was basically just a spirit builder for the new SeeDs. All new SeeDs from each Garden came to Balamb Garden for the party, as they were being relocated there anyway.

At the party Seifer sat alone far away from dance floor, he did not want to be seen anywhere near the dance scene. At the other end of the quad, Headmaster Cid stood with two SeeDs, one almost twice as tall as Cid, and the other female SeeD was his height exactly.

' Well then, there's a special guest here for you. Look around the room, I'm certain you'll be quite shocked when you see him!' Cid announced to the female SeeD.

' You mean Seifer over there?' She asked, and pointed to the only white trench coat in the room.

' What! Great, Seifer just ruined my surprise for you…' Cid said, and the taller man laughed in a deep voice.

' Well… Since he's here that means he's a SeeD, that's a welcome sight.' The female SeeD said, shaking her head.

' Well, go up to him then, I'm certain he'll get a kick out of seeing you two here.' Cid said.

' Yeah, let's go see Seifer!' The tall SeeD said.

' No, I'll go get him.' The female SeeD said.

She walked across the room to Seifer occupying a lone table; he appeared that if nothing interesting happened he would die. She walked up to Seifer, and tapped him on the shoulder.

' Well Seifer, we finally got to SeeD.' She said.

Seifer literally leaped out of his chair.

' Fujin! Where have you been?' He greeted her.

' Galbadia Garden.'

' Well, good to know there will finally be a _normal _person around here!'

' Raijin's at the far wall there. Let's go.' Fujin said, and Seifer followed her to the other end of the room.

The Disciplinary Committee had finally reunited after a two-month period; it had been the longest time Raijin and Fujin had been away from the "leader" of their posse. The three of them talked about their experiences in their separate Gardens. Raijin started with his adventures in Galbadia.

' Well, Fujin and me, went to Galbadia Garden, ya know? We got evaluated by Headmaster Martine, and took a couple of classes. They were easy, ya know? So we went straight to the SeeD written test. I crammed every bit 'o info that I could fit in my head to pass this thing, and Fujin just wrote on some piece of paper! But lo and behold, we passed, ya know? After that we forgot we didn't have GF's, forgot all about 'em because we don't use them that often, ya know? So Fujin went back to the wind cavern on the Centra continent, and I went to Deling to get to the Tomb of the Unknown King. I got the Brothers. Our field exam was a piece of cake! We just went in and got rid of all the enemies, ya know? And now we're transferred here.'

Fujin was the next one to share their story.

' As Raijin said, we went to Galbadia Garden. Martine let us attend classes, and we passed the SeeD written test. Raijin, I did more than just write on a piece of paper, I wrote everything I know about battles, and Garden code on that paper. Writing what you know is better than just cramming.' She sighed, ' I went back to the Wind Cavern to get Pandemona, and finally got back all of my Aero and Tornado spells.'

' What I want to know is: since when did you start talkin' normal?' Seifer asked Fujin.

' Just kinda started.' Fujin shrugged, ' Besides, in SeeD missions sometimes people need to know what your point is so you can give better orders.'

' Now I've been telling you that for years, 'bout time you started taking my advice!' Seifer laughed.

Raijin laughed with Seifer, and got kicked in the shin by Fujin.

' Ow!' Raijin yelled.

Seifer walked to the Training Center, he had enough of the party. Fujin and Raijin followed him, and they soon found themselves fighting T-Rexuars together. Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin made a stupendous team, Raijin would distract the enemy while Seifer and Fujin would attack as a single unit. Fujin needed Raijin to be an effective fighter, and Raijin equally needed Fujin to be a menacing force. With Seifer the posse was an unstoppable force.

Zarack found Seifer with his posse, he would have ran right up to Seifer, however decided to stay back enough to not be seen, and watch the posse work together. Schiria came up from behind Zarack, and saw him be secretive.

' What are you doing?' She asked her voice was low.

' Watching, let's see how Seifer works together with Raijin and Fujin.' Zarack responded.

' Captain Raijin and Commander Fujin? They were high standing officers in the Galbadian army. They're SeeD's too?' Schiria asked.

' There's a lot we don't know… I think there's some kind of conspiracy here between the three of them…'

' Bad?' Schiria asked she was surprised.

' Don't think so, if Seifer was the General of the Galbadian army during the second Sorceress War, and he's a good guy now, I don't think Fujin and Raijin are all that.'

' Okay…' Schiria looked closely at how well Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin worked together.

Three Grats crossed paths with the posse, and met a cross sweep that hit them all from Fujin's Shrunken, and a triple fire spell from Seifer that killed them all.

' What was that? I know they're strong, but a multiple target hit from Fujin, and a triple fire spell isn't that strong…' Zarack whispered.

' I remember Fujin came to Dollet, they were looking for someone, that's how I heard of Fujin and Raijin. Fujin actually talked to me, she told me this, " PRIDE, POWERFUL. ONE HIT. WEAK!" She pointed to her weapon when she said Pride; I think that's what she called her weapon. Anyway, she said that in one hit the enemy is weak, that's a powerful weapon!' Schiria explained to Zarack.

' Why didn't they torch Dollet?' Zarack asked, knowing that Galbadia burned the cities they visited during the second Sorceress War.

' Dollet was an ally to Galbadia at that time, didn't the instructors teach you anything?'

' Sorry I'm not the daughter of the mayor…'

A T-Rexuar attacked Raijin, sending him a foot away. Raijin immediately got up, and hit the T-Rexuar before using his famed "Raijin Special" on it. Fujin cast Aura on Seifer, and the knight used his "Demon Slice" Limit Break to finish off the behemoth.

' Man! That Raijin sure is strong, Trajin was right his family can get up after anything.' Zarack whispered.

' I remember talking to Raijin too. He said, " This is my Strength, ya know? Nothin' can kill me when I use my Strength; nothin's powerful enough." He pointed to his staff when he said Strength.' Schiria explained.

' Superstition…' Zarack trailed off, ' Damn, those three can work well together. And I thought we were unstoppable.'

' We who?'

' Seifer, you, and me.'

' No, I'm not strong enough.'

' You're plenty strong enough Schiria; you're a SeeD aren't ya?'

' Still…' Schiria trailed off.

The posse defeated one more group of Grats, and then left the Training Center. Zarack and Schiria left after them. They met at the hallway to the large dorm area; Seifer was reading the single dorm assignments for new SeeDs. Raijin noticed the two approaching.

' Seifer, your two students are comin'.' He informed Seifer.

' Zarack, Schiria, your dorms are one nine two, and one nine three accordingly.' He said, not turning to see them.

' Right.' Zarack replied, and headed for his new dorm.

Schiria silently went to her dorm, and received a surprise when she entered. On the wall was a rack to hold two swords, and every issue of Combat King, Weapons Monthly, and Battle Series lay on the bed in an orderly fashion. This was not her room. Zarack received a similar surprise by seeing photos of the Dukedom family on the small desk in the room. Seifer was heard behind them with Fujin and Raijin laughing.

' There's a ten percent chance that I got that mixed up you guys.' He said, the mock clear in his voice.

Schiria was upset that Seifer had just lied to her, a small lie, but a lie nonetheless. Zarack was angry enough to attack Seifer, however decided that it was too late in the night to start anything.

Seifer then left for his dorm, with Fujin and Raijin just behind him reliving their time in the Garden before the second Sorceress War.


	6. Atena

Chapter VI: Atena

Seifer awoke to see a note stuck on the inside of his door; it was an order from Headmaster Cid. He read the note, it said: A SeeD request was made four hours ago by President Atena of Galbadia. I am sending you, Fujin, and Raijin to go to Galbadia to bring Atena to Esthar for the signing of a peace treaty with President Lorie. As you know President Atena doesn't trust her own military as broadcasted two months ago. A Garden employee will see you off at the front gate at eight hundred hours.

' Geez, he usually sees new recruits off on their first mission.' Seifer said to himself.

Seifer glanced at his wall clock; it read seven thirty, which left him thirty minutes to for the mission. He did not need a lot of time to prepare, and ten minutes later he left for the front gate, the Garden employee was already there waiting. At the designated time, Seifer saw Fujin and Raijin approach. Once everyone was gathered, the faculty member began with the mission briefing.

' Okay, you all are to go to Galbadia and see the President Atena. Atena doesn't trust the Galbadian military because of the assassination attempt by a soldier. She believes that the conspiracy against her still lives however, that is the current status. She wants SeeD to accompany her to Esthar for the signing of an official peace treaty. Seifer, you are to lead Fujin and Raijin and use your best judgment to carry out the mission.' The faculty member saluted, and left them.

' Okay, let's go then…' Seifer trailed off.

' Hyne, why do _we _have to play body guard, ya know?' Raijin whined.

' She doesn't trust her own military, that was just said idiot.' Fujin explained to Raijin.

' I'm with Raijin though…' Seifer said, ' But then again, it's easy money. So let's just go with it, this is better than fishing and waiting for Raijin's paychecks to come in whenever he could do odd jobs.'

The three walked to Balamb at a good pace, and were able to buy tickets at normal price for their SeeD mission. Seifer wondered why no one looked at him like he was a monster; he figured the story of how he saved Schiria got across the land faster than he thought.

On the train, Seifer used the ticket and Raijin ran right for the SeeD cabin. Fujin slowly followed Raijin, and Seifer followed after several minutes of pondering why everyone acted like they did on Balamb. In the SeeD cabin, Raijin was sitting on the bed reading a magazine named Pet Pals, and Fujin was trying to convince Raijin that the chair was a better place to read his magazine.

' Raijin, I need to use the bed. So move to the chair.' She demanded.

' But Fujin, you know I always read sitting on the bed. I just couldn't concentrate if I read anywhere else, ya know?' Raijin replied.

Seifer entered the cabin just when Fujin kicked Raijin in the knee to get him off of the bed.

' Ow!' Raijin cried.

Seifer laughed to himself, and sat down on a chair, deciding whether or not to tell Fujin and Raijin about Trajin. He eventually decided that he should tell his friends.

' Hey guys, you remember Trajin?' He asked.

' Yeah.' Fujin and Raijin replied at the same time.

' Well Fujin, Trajins still got the hots for you.' Seifer told Fujin.

' What?' Fujin asked, ' After the way I dumped him, he shouldn't. And how do you know Seifer?'

' I met Trajin during my field exam. The guy's nuts, he said that we had a kid and that he needed to kill us both to have you. The screwy thing is: The girl he thought was ours, was a fourteen year old!' Seifer explained.

' That is so stupid, ya know?' Raijin said, ' You two'd never have a kid!'

' Right…' Fujin said, ' And fourteen is way too old even if we had one. That's why I didn't like Trajin; he's a delusional moron. He acted like we were married right when I walked in the door.' Fujin shuddered when she spoke of Trajin.

' Oh, and Raijin, Trajin told me he was you're half brother.' Seifer told Raijin.

' That I know.' Raijin replied.

' What?' Seifer was confused, Trajin told Seifer Raijin didn't know, ' I am gonna kill that lyin' bastard if he's not already dead!' Seifer thought.

' O' course he probably thinks I don't know. He ran away from home when I was a little kid. But my memory is better than that, ya know?' Raijin laughed confidently.

Since Seifer was done with that, he put his feet up on the small table in front of him, and relaxed for the train ride. Since Raijin had finally left the bed, Fujin lay sleeping, and Raijin sat on the chair next to Seifer.

' I like Fujin this way, when she can't kick me.' Raijin told Seifer.

' Yeah…' Seifer chuckled.

' Siren sings her song to the deafened sailor…' Raijin laughed to himself.

' What are ya raggin' about now Raijin?'

' Nothin'!' Raijin replied quickly, ' We should be getting pretty close to Galbadia pretty soon, ya know? First SeeD mission, let's get it over with, ya know?' Raijin sat quiet for the rest of the trip.

Seifer wondered what Raijin meant with his Siren comment, and after ten minutes decided it was not important enough for him to waste his time thinking about it. Fujin slept for most of the trip, and awoke for the final hour. Seifer noticed something new about Fujin, in her eye he could see that she was thinking deeply about something. He did not know what she could be thinking about.

' Maybe the mission, yeah that's it.' Seifer thought to himself.

' Or perhaps it's something different?' Fairir's voice ringed in Seifer's head.

' Fairir, why do you always do this?' Seifer asked the Guardian Force.

' Do what?'

' Make me think too much, I don't like it.'

' Well… Maybe you think too little. Your friend over there is making a decision, you can see it in her eyes.'

' The one you can see? No, that's just Fujin, I've known her to look like that ever since we met.'

' Then maybe she's been trying to make the decision ever since you met. Help her.'

' That just isn't me Fairir!'

' Then forge a new Seifer Almasy.'

' No, I like me just the way I am, thank you.'

' You are so uncooperative Seifer.'

' Thank you.'

Fairir did not reply, but the Guardian Force successfully got Seifer to think about his friend more.

' Why does she look at me like that? When she talks it's like she snaps right out of it, and when she stops taking she snaps back into it. Okay, maybe I should ask about it, after the mission is over…' Seifer thought, he could envision Fairir smiling smugly.

The train had arrived at Deling City, where the President resided. Since Deling's death Galbadia was in search of a President that could bring peace, and finally they found it in someone. President Atena was a woman not unlike Edea, and wished for peace in the world.

The issue of Esthar came back into mind, as Balamb, Fisherman's Horizon, Dollet, Winhil, Timber, and various other communities of the western world came under the peace treaty. Esthar was a hidden continent that had just opened up a little to the outside world; Atena realized that she had to sign a treaty with President Lorie of Esthar in order for her dream to become reality.

Just two months ago; after the joining of Timber to the peaceful nations, some Galbadian soldiers had attempted an assassination on President Atena. Afterwards Atena decided that she could not trust her military; lest the conspirators try again to assassinate her. She is currently having someone secretly investigating the military, while that is going on, she needs to arrive in Esthar in twenty four hours to sign the peace treaty with President Lorie.

Since she could not trust her military with her safety during the signing of the peace treaty, she requested aid from Balamb Garden. Seifer, Raijin, and Fujin were sent to Deling City to accompany President Atena to Esthar.

Seifer and his posse arrived at the Presidential residence, and found Atena inside her quarters. President Atena wore a professional red dress; which symbolized peace and happiness in Esthar, and had her bright white hair straightened down to the small of her back.

President Atena welcomed the three SeeDs.

' Welcome to Deling City, capitol of Galbadia.' She said, her voice was like a siren's.

' We didn't fail Geography, eh?' Seifer said.

' Right… Well, I bet you SeeDs want to get on with the job then, huh?' President Atena said, brushing Seifer off with her hand.

' Okay, so we're to bring ya to Esthar, eh? I'm the leader Seifer, and behind me are Fujin and Raijin.' Seifer said pointing to Fujin and Raijin, ' So, how do you plan to go to Esthar President?'

' Ah, you're the leader too?' Atena said in clear Seifer style, ' I was planning on using one of my helicopters, or do you have some other idea?' Fujin and Raijin chuckled slightly, as Seifer had found a rival in tongue.

' Yeah,' Seifer said, ' One of the conspirators might have rigged it with an explosive. With the carefulness you have it's a wonder to see you here today.' Seifer said pulling no punches with Atena.

' Ah, so that's how you get paid.' Atena said mocking Seifer's intelligence, ' Don't worry, you can always check the helicopter before we head out.' Fujin and Raijin started laughing again.

' Such a prestigious assignment should be saved for my friends. Fujin, Raijin, will you check out the helicopter?' Fujin and Raijin stopped laughing right then.

' Yes Seifer…' They said in unison, and a Presidential Aide showed them to the helicopter Atena was talking about.

After giving Fujin and Raijin ten minutes to prepare the helicopter, Seifer left with President Atena. Seifer pondered why it was that President could not trust her military, but could trust her own helicopter, and her own Presidential Aides.

' If she thinks there are conspirator's around her, then why is she so careless…' Seifer thought to himself, he believed there was something not quite right about this picture.

Fujin and Raijin readied the helicopter, and Atena boarded. Seifer took his friends away a few feet before boarding the helicopter.

' Fujin, Raijin, I don't like this. There's somethin' not right here, so if the time comes just do what I do.' Seifer told them in secret.

Fujin and Raijin nodded their heads, and boarded the helicopter after Seifer. Atena remained quiet for the entire ride, and Raijin looked outside the whole time. Fujin closed her eye, and concentrated on her own life, and Seifer sat with his feet up. Esthar was not very far away time wise when using one of Galbadia's new special helicopters, the new helicopters could reach speeds fast enough to easily bridge the sea gap.

Esthar was as high-tech as expected, Seifer recalled on the first time he had been on the continent. Not memories he cared to remember. Fujin and Raijin remembered as well, Fujin especially remembered her speech to Seifer.

' I said everything I could to bring Seifer back out of the storybook world he was living in then. I told him everything I felt, except: I love you. I don't know what happened, but everything turned out for the best…' Fujin thought.

Raijin was looking at the giant city of Esthar; it was truly a sight you had to see at least once in your life. The helicopter landed just outside the Presidential residence, where famous Doctor Odine, and not so famous President Lorie live. Atena walked straight for the President's office, Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin walked closely next to her. She entered the residence, and told her SeeD escort to leave her be when she went to see President Lorie.

' You three stay here while the peace treaty is being signed.' She merely said, and entered the office of President Lorie.

Seifer leaned on the wall, waiting for President Atena's peace talk to end. Fujin and Raijin remained completely silent; the silence was ominous. The silence began to bother Seifer.

' Geez, it sounds like someone's died…' Seifer announced.

Suddenly sounds of combat were heard coming from the President's office; a machine gun could be heard. The three SeeDs immediately entered the office to see Laguna, Kiros, and Ward fighting off Atena, who appeared to have sorceress powers.

' What the hell! This ain't right!' Seifer said loudly, drawing his Hyperion.

' What do we do Seifer, Atena's our mission, ya know?' Raijin asked.

' Fight the Sorceress, what else? Just don't kill her.' Seifer told them, and prepared to help the doomed Laguna, Kiros, and Ward.

Atena noticed that Seifer and his posse were going to attack, and decided to gain the upper hand by making he first attack. Atena cast Flare on Seifer first; her magical power was high enough to make Seifer stop in his tracks. Raijin cast Curaga on Seifer, and Fujin threw her shrunken at Atena. Before Atena could react, Seifer ran up and slashed her, not forgetting the trigger of his gunblade.

Atena knelt on the ground from the power of Seifer's slash; her withstanding power was not very high. She knelt on the ground, and the look in her eyes showed that she knew she could not win.

' Ya better just give up, ya know?' Raijin laughed.

' Not while I have my knight.' She said very ominously, and suddenly a barrier between herself and Seifer appeared, ' Seifer, you know the Sorceress needs you.' Atena no longer appeared like herself, but like a sorceress Seifer recognized.

' Ultemecia! You will not seduce me again!' Seifer screamed.

' You know how you are needed, SeeD is not deserving of your skills.' Ultemecia told Seifer, her voice rang out in his mind, blocking independent thought.

' Never!' Seifer yelled in extreme fatigue, pain began to erupt when he attempted to think.

' You are my knight Seifer, accept your fate.'

Seifer fell to his knees; he remembered this feeling, this mind control. It was the same feeling he felt when she seduced his mind at the Television Station in Timber, and again after Fujin's speech in the Lunatic Pandora. Seifer would have given up the charade then and there, if only Ultemecia's mind control magic forced him to bring Rinoa to Adel. Seifer would not let her use him again.

' I'll never be your knight! **You **are not deserving of my powers! You are evil, and I will have no part in this!' Seifer screamed, drawing his Hyperion gunblade.

He could not think correctly to attack in any one predetermined place so, he began to swing the gunblade around aimlessly until her was certain Ultemecia was hit. He felt the Hyperion hit something, and he pulled the trigger, driving Ultemecia out of Atena. Atena fell to the ground; she was rendered unconscious by the fierce blow.

The barrier dropped, and Fujin ran up to Seifer who had dropped to the ground. He was left barely able to breath from the extreme mental torment Ultemecia forced upon him, at one time he would have never been able to fight off the control. However this time Seifer had grown stronger, and more resilient. Laguna called for some medical personal immediately, Raijin cast Regen to help Seifer breath.

' She didn't get me!' Seifer managed to say before falling into unconsciousness.

Laguna walked over to Fujin, ' Don't worry, he'll be fine. What we need to worry about is her.' Laguna pointed to Atena, ' I don't trust her anymore!' Ward walked over to Laguna, ' Yeah, Kiros call the MP's, we'll have them set her up in one of Odine's cells.'

Fujin looked at Laguna, ' I know he'll be alright.' She said, ' I don't know why I ran up to him…' She directed her eye to the ground.

Laguna was taken aback.

' You like him, don't you?' He announced.

' NEGATIVE!' Fujin denied, reverting back to her old way of speaking.

' Wow!' Laguna said, ' She likes him!' He whispered to Kiros.

' I don't think you should get Fujin mad. Not good for your health, ya know?' Raijin snickered; he obviously overheard what Laguna said meaning Fujin did too.

Fujin said nothing; she was too busy directing her attention to the fallen Seifer. Medics arrived a few seconds later, and prepared to bring Seifer to the mini-hospital they had in the Presidential Residence. Just then Seifer hopped off the stretcher they had put him on, and looked at Laguna.

' Just needed to rest my eyes guys, no need to put me in my grave yet!' He announced.

Raijin's laugh echoed and Fujin turned her back on the scene, she wondered if Seifer realized she had been looking after him. Seifer looked down at the unconscious Atena, and remember what happened.

' Hey guys, guess who this is.' He said.

' President Atena, a sorceress.' Laguna said, ' Should she be someone else?'

' Half credit President. That is, or rather was Ultemecia! When Atena reached out to me, to try and snare me as her "knight". I felt Ultemecia inside her, it was the same mind control magic I felt.'

' That can't be right, Squall defeated Ultemecia! It was my plan that they used, too!' Laguna countered.

' Leonheart didn't do a good enough job, because that **was** Ultemecia.' Seifer said.

' I believe Seifer, he should know. He was the one that was there when the barrier went up, covering our vision.' Fujin said.

' Seifer never lies, it's just isn't Seifer, ya know?' Raijin added.

' Okay…' Laguna said, ' I'll have to call Odine later about this, you guys can go back to Garden now.'

' Yeah…' Seifer said, ' We're gonna stick around a little, see what we should do first.' Seifer said, and left the Presidential Residence.

Fujin and Raijin followed Seifer to an inn, where Seifer ordered a room for the night. Fujin lay on a bed, and Seifer kicked up his feet on a chair in the room. Raijin stood in a corner, leaning on the wall.

' Well, this mission got real weird, real fast. In a strange twist Atena now reveled as a sorceress and taken over by Ultemecia, attacked Lorie. We took Laguna's side, and beat up the Galbadian President. That won't look good on us in Galbadia, needless to say. We pretty much botched the mission, and we got ourselves a situation with Ultemecia; again!' Seifer announced to Fujin and Raijin.

' Yeah, we gotta report that to Cid.' Fujin said.

' And try to smooth things over with Galbadia too.' Raijin added.

' Okay, our primary objective is to get our asses back to Balamb, and contact Cid. For this we need a mode of transportation, somethin' we don't have.' Seifer said.

' We could always contact Cid from here.' Fujin reminded Seifer.

' Hm, I wonder if these guys'll like it if I dialed a long distance number…' Seifer jested, Fujin and Raijin laughed.

Seifer dialed the number for Balamb Garden, and got a hold of Cid. Seifer then very briefly reported to Cid the situation, and told him they were marooned in Esthar.

Cid was surprised that Sorceress Ultemecia had re-entered the picture, and he had the Ragnarok sent to Esthar immediately to pick up the posse. The Ragnarok was employed to the service of Garden, used for hasty deployments/withdraws. Seifer's, was defiantly a case for a hasty withdraw back to Garden.

Seifer informed Fujin and Raijin that the Ragnarok would be coming to pick them up, so they should leave immediately to the outskirts of Esthar. They made it just in time to be picked up by the extremely fast spaceship. On board Raijin remarked at the interior, while Seifer sat down comfortably. Fujin looked out the window; she had always had a fascination with the sky.

Seifer remembered Ultemecia, and how she used him to achieve her time compression.

' Damn witch, why's she back? Didn't _Leonheart _and his buddies take her out, why is she still around screwing with me?' He thought.

Squall had just arrived at Balamb Garden from his newest SeeD mission. As soon as he entered he was called up to Cid's office.

' Why does the Headmaster want me? Another mission?' He thought to himself, ' Or maybe it has something with Almasy being near the Garden.' Squall knew something was not quite right in his peaceful world, he knew something bad was happening.

He made it up to the Headmaster's office, and saluted.

' Squall, there is a great deal of news since you left for Galbadia. I have permitted Seifer back to Garden.' Cid said, and was interrupted by Squall.

' What! How could you let Almasy back in Garden, last time he was near this place his mission was to destroy it! How can you let such a dangerous and unstable person to walk among us!' Squall was quite upset with the news of Seifer's return.

' Squall, calm down. Seifer's return was quite justified, and he past the Field exam with one hundred percent. But we have urgent news here: On his mission to Esthar, Seifer discovered that Ultemecia has taken control of President Atena. Ultemecia is back!'

' If that's true, we can't let Seifer back in Garden. Last time they were together missiles destroyed Trabia Garden, and almost got here.'

' Squall, why are you so untrusting?'

' Experience. Almasy did horrible things not too long ago, do you really think he's changed in one year?'

' You haven't seen him, he's changed, it's also quite visible. Now Squall, Seifer's coming back from his first SeeD mission with Fujin and Raijin. I don't want any fights between the two of you until this whole Ultemecia thing is done, then you can go to the Training Center and get it out of your systems. Now he should be arriving soon, I'll go with you to meet the Ragnarok.' Cid got up from behind his desk and walked to the elevator Squall silently followed him.

Laguna was in a magic field with Atena, he wanted to get some questions answered.

' Atena, you remember anything about attacking me?' Laguna said.

' Yes.' She replied, not hiding anything.

' Tell me about Ultemecia.' President Lorie said.

' Ultemecia, she's a sorceress like me. She said she wanted to be with me, to help me bring peace to the world. I believed her, I was blind, all I really want to do is make a peaceful world. Ultemecia was inside me, and took control when I was with you, Ward and Kiros. Using me, she attacked you.' Atena told Laguna.

' Don't worry; Esthar still wants to sign for peace. We'll want to hold you here in this magic field, until we get rid of Ultemecia. Is that okay?'

' Yes, I don't mind. I know I could be a threat if Ultemecia should take over my mind again.'

Laguna nodded, and exited the room. He did not bother to post guards, because he knew that if Ultemecia could escape the magic field every soldier in Esthar could not stop her.

The Ragnarok arrived at Balamb Garden in only minutes, and Seifer exited to see his old rival with the headmaster welcome him.

' Leonheart, back from you're little SeeD mission I see.' Seifer greeted Squall.

' And you too.' Squall said he literally had to restrain himself from maledicting Seifer.

Fujin and Raijin took their place at Seifer's side, as the ex-sorceress' knight walked past.

' Seifer, you know Ultemecia is back?' Cid asked Seifer.

' Yeah, she tried to brainwash me again. Pity it didn't work.' Seifer said, stressing the word "work" for Squall.

' Yeah, then we'd have to beat you again.' Squall said.

' Mores the pity, I was looking forward to defeating you Leonheart, but then I thought, ' Why should I let this stupid witch win, eh?' Seifer snickered.

Cid decided to intervene before hostility would arise from Seifer and Squall's antics.

' Squall, Seifer, we have a situation here! Somehow Ultemecia has come back, and we need to take action immediately!'

' Yeah, so what'll you have us do?' Seifer asked, before Squall could say it.

' So far we have some hypothesis's from Doctor Odine in Esthar, on why and how Ultemecia is back. I want you two to go to Esthar and hear what Odine has to say, and report back with any information at all.' Cid told them.

' What me, _work_, with Leonheart?' Seifer almost yelled.

' Yes, you are _partners_for this no one will lead. Understood?' Squall and Seifer both nodded slowly, ' Good, now use the Ragnarok and go.' Cid then left for his office.

Seifer looked his partner in the eye, and turned back to the Ragnarok. Fujin and Raijin silently returned to their dorms, and Squall followed his partner to the spaceship. The Ragnarok headed back to Esthar, where Doctor Odine waited to tell his hypothesis about Ultemecia's return; he loved sharing his work.

In no time Squall and Seifer arrived at the Esthar air station, and headed for the Presidential Palace where Laguna and Odine waited. Seifer ran ahead of Squall, and Squall tried his best to get ahead of his rival. The two were practically racing down the streets of Esthar. They arrived at the President's quarters, Seifer let Squall enter first making it seem degrading to the commander. Squall hated how Seifer could do that.

' Good, good, come in!' Said the doctor.

Standing behind him was Kiros and Ward, Laguna was too busy taking care of business to be there with them. Odine wasted no time getting on with his theory, he seems as giddy as a school girl.

' Vell, vell, ve are dealing vith Ultimecia again are ve? Yes, of course!'

' But how? We killed her!' Squall asked.

' You did in the far future, but she still lives in the not so far future!' Odine says confidently.

Squall had a look of puzzlement on his face, and Seifer just kicked his feet up on the coffee table while looking straight into the doctor's eyes.

' So…Ultimecia still lives, in _different _parts of time?' Seifer asked absently, Odine nodded his head, ' Then how does the past she knows what's going on and change her plans because the future she's failure?'

' Zat iz obvious! She must have sent her consciousness back to her past form, and told her to change plans, for she vas dieing!' Odine exclaimed.

' Okay, so we need to go back to the future, and defeat Ultimecia _again_? Then how do we know that the same thing won't happen, and Ultimecia come back?' Squall asked.

' Simple! Ve send you to ze earliest time of Ultimecia, and defeat her zere.' Odine laughed.

' But last time we let time compress, and defeated her before it could be attained fully. We cannot risk this again!'

' Don't worry! Ve are vorking on a time machine! It vill send you into the future, precisely vere you need to be! But…ve have a problem…' Odine said, looking down.

Squall jeered in his seat, ' What kind of problem?'

' Ve need two things: Ellone who has already agreed to help us, and some other person who has the power of making the future now. But ve do not know who or vere zis person is.'

Seifer yawned, this was a boring necessity that he knew was going to be more or less a waste of time. There was no ticket straight to the problem, just one more problem to break through before the main problem. Fate was known to be anomalous, and this meant that this person who could make the future happen now was going to be in the most obscure place ever. Just then his knowledge how unpredictable fate could be kicked in, and he thought of something that obscure.

' Leonheart, we gotta get to Balamb!' He says, and heads for the Ragnarok not bothering to wait for his partner.

' What? Hey! Seifer!' Squall hurries after the trench coat wearing SeeD at an equally furious pace to catch up, ' Seifer what are you talking about?'

' Easy Leonheart: if fate is as stupid as I know it is, the most unlikely person in the whole Universe has _gotta_ be it! And I got a good idea where fate's thinking is.'

' Oh ha, ha, Seifer. What is it? Me?' Squall says sarcastically, knowing how well Seifer thought of him.

' You crazy Leonheart!' Seifer suddenly shouts, ' You're too pansy to be it!'

' Thanks…'

' No, I know this girl, fourteen years old and pretty damn surprisin'. I gotta hunch that she's the one.'

Squall did not know whether or not that Seifer was right. He knew that he had been through the most anomalous life that could ever be thought up, even by the most insane minds in the world. He decided to just go with Seifer on this one though, after all, with a quest so inane, that a god starting point was better than trial and error.

It did not take long to get to Ragnarok, and the faculty worker that piloted it had disturbing news for him. He approached the two, and saluted Squall.

' Sir Squall, I've lost communication with Garden.'

' Something must be wrong! Head for Garden ASAP!' Squall orders.

' What could be wrong? I thought the world was under peace, why would anyone attack Garden?' Seifer asks.

' I don't know, but you know rule two of warfare?' Squall asks him.

' Cut the communications.' Seifer answers absently.

' Sounds like Galbadia.'

' Atena!'

Suddenly the radar of the Ragnarok blips, ' Sir Squall, quarter of the Esthar fleet is right behind us.' Suddenly a radio breaks through, and the faculty member takes it.

' Who is it?' Squall asks him.

' It's President Laguna sir! He says Atena remembered something suddenly, that Ultimecia had ordered her army to attack Garden when you were away.'

' Dammit!' Squall shouts, ' How far to Garden?'

' Two minutes with Dragon Thrusters, but that put the Ragnarok outta commission with this distance.' The pilot informs.

' Do it! We've got no time to spare!' Squall commands.

' Calm down Leonheart!' Seifer says, ' The Galbadian army ain't under my command anymore. They probably got some numb-nuts conformist runnin' the show now.'

' So what?' Squall vindicates.

' Good leadership is the key to victory, that's rule of warfare number three. Garden can hold out until we arrive, especially with Raijin and Fujin, hell even Instructor Trepe there!'

' Even still, they'll stand more of a chance with me there.'

' _Us_ Leonheart, I ain't about to let some grubby Galbadian's in Garden with me as a SeeD.'

' Right…'

The Ragnarok and the rest of the Esthar fleet activate their Dragon Thrusts, an Esthar invention that gives the air/spaceships super speed. The Ragnarok, being an older model, could only use its Dragon Thrust for two minutes before breaking down. Squall and the pilot prayed that the Ragnarok would hold together so they could get to Garden.

' Galbadian's have landed on the beach!'

Cid was in his office when Tomoyuki ran in. There was a gash in his right shoulder, he continued, ' Headmaster Cid, the Galbadian's are attacking Garden!'

' What, I thought there was peace in the world!'

' Some of the students are already fighting them, they are being led by Zarack and Schiria.'

Cid turned to the intercom, ' Everyone, this is Headmaster Cid. Garden us under attack! All SeeDs head to the front gate and help Zarack and his band of students.' Cid turns to Tomoyuki, ' Report to Dr. Kadowaki, and arrange for the wounded to get help. Don't forget to take care of yourself.'

' Yes sir!' Tomoyuki says, and runs off to the Infirmary.

At the front gate, Zarack was taking care of Galbadian soldiers with Schiria and the forty other students. Their force was growing in number as the seconds passed, however the Galbadian soldiers were not giving up, and were heavily wounding several of the less experienced students.

In the very center of the battle were Zarack and Schiria, they fought with all their skill, and lasted through the first two waves of attackers. Zarack attacked while Schiria defended, the Galbadian soldiers splashed on them like water on a rock, and the students would fight the run off. They lasted the first two waves, fighting as if they had been partners for years. SeeD was known for highly skilled young mercenaries, and they proved it.

The Garden force grew far too strong for the third wave by the time the experienced SeeDs arrived, led by Quistis and Zell who had just arrived from his last mission. They were winning, and pushing their adversaries back into the ocean. The hearts of the defenders were light in seeing the two hour-long battle coming to a close.

The attackers made a hasty retreat to their transports, and camped out in the ocean. The students celebrated their victory, while the pair who led them collapsed on the ground uninjured, but tired. Of course all SeeDs knew rule of warfare number four, regroup and re-plan. Quistis rounded the forces; Schiria was leaning on Zarack who tried to appear fine.

' Everyone, that was only a scout, there will be more.' She pointed out to the ships no more than fifty meters away, ' They are already planning for a second assault, and more than likely waiting for reinforcements. We must strengthen Garden defenses, now!'

Zarack nodded, and Schiria just silently wished that they would smarten up and leave so she could rest. The current Garden defenses head back into Garden to regroup, and gain more power. War is starting again, the best of the Galbadian army is heading stright for Garden. What does Ultimecia have planned? Or is this Atena's doing?


End file.
